16 Friday Oct 2015
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It is reported in the press that the TRAI is set to issue notification to the telecom companies to pay Re.1/ compensation for each call drop with a maximum of Rs. 3/- for a day. Though the telecom companies have protested, the large number of complaints on the call drops and also the assurance of the Minister that call drops will be reduced, it is almost certain that the TRAI will issue the orders.
13 Tuesday Oct 2015
Posted in BSNL News, CG Employees
As is well known, Pay Revision Committee (PRC) for the executives of all the Central PSUs used to be appointed by the Government, which will recommend the pay scales to be implemented according to the status of the PSU being decided by it on several criteria. This was done for the last time in 2007.
For the non-executives in each PSU, the management will discuss the wage revision with the recognised union/s and the Wage Agreement reached will be implemented. Last time this was done in BSNL also w.e.f. 01-01-2007.
Now it is understood that the Government is proposing Pay Revision of executives for each PSU separately as was done in the case of non-executives.
But the important matter is that it is high time that the Pay Revision / Wage revision in BSNL should start without delay. The recognised unions should take up the matter with out any delay. Once the recommendations of the VII Central Pay Commission are out, the demand will become stronger.
09 Friday Oct 2015
Posted in BSNL News
The Department of Public Enterprises has issued orders increasing the IDA to 107.9% w.e.f. 01-10-2015.
07 Wednesday Oct 2015
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The core committee members of Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations Com.P.Abhimayu, Convenor, Com.Chandeswar Singh, President, Com.K.Sebastian, General Secretary, SNEA and Com.Prahlad Rai, General Secretary, AIBSNLEA met Shri.Rakesh Garg,Secretary,DoT today,7th October,2015. The leaders conveyed dissatisfaction to the inordinate delay in the settlement of 78.2% IDA merger to BSNL pensioners despite assurance in the discussion on 1st May, 2015. The Secretary,DoT assured the delegation to do the needful. The leaders also met Shri.N.Sivasailam, Addl Secretary also and discussed the issue.
07 Wednesday Oct 2015
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The festival season is coming. It is during the festival season, ie. October – November, that Bonus is paid to the workers/employees. For the last four years, Bonus has been denied to BSNL employees. Despite strong demand by the unions, management took a stoic silence.
This situation can not continue. BSNL Employees Union and other unions have demanded that Bonus should be paid this year. While employees/workers in all other establishments are paid bonus, why not in BSNL. The plea of the management that ‘there is no profit, hence no bonus’ is not acceptable.
A joint committee of management and staff has been appointed to discuss the issue. The Joint Committee should urgently meet and decide for the paymeent of Bonus or PLI before the festival starts.
30 Wednesday Sep 2015
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Congress has attacked the Modi government and specifically Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad responsible for call drops and demanded his immediate resignation.
Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, on his part, stated that the UPA government is fully responsible for the poor condition of BSNL and MTNL.
The fact is that both NDA as well as UPA are responsible for the call drops and the present condition of both BSNL and MTNL.
As in the case of competing in supporting and providing all help to the corporates and the MNCs by both Congress and BJP, both of them should support BSNL and MTNL, instead of trying to finish them off.
30 Wednesday Sep 2015
According to reports, IDA for PSU employees is due to be increased by 5.3% with effect from 1st October 2015, an increase from 102.6% to 107.9%. BSNL Pensioners also will get the benefit.
Orders are expected shortly.
30 Wednesday Sep 2015
Posted in BSNL News
BSNL Completes 15 Years – Struggle to Continue for Survival, Restoring Past Glory
On this 1st October 2015, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the telecom PSU, will complete 15 years of its service to the people. There used to be great celebrations of the day in the BSNL Corporate Office, Circle Offices etc. earlier, but it seems that all these are forgotten.
But workers have not forgotten. Formation of BSNL was not the demand of the workers. They were against it. They organized sustained struggles against corporatizing telecom services from the Department of Telecom. But, unfortunately, the agreement between DOT and three main Federations speeded up corporatization.
BSNL was formed on 1st October 2000. In the front lawns of the Sanchar Bhawan, the office of the DOT, then Communications Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, while inaugurating BSNL, declared that BSNL will be granted the Maharatna Status, financial assistance will be provided by the Government and it will be made the No.1 telecom company in the world. Nothing happened; it was all empty promises. Whatever assistance was given in the initial stage was discontinued. On the contrary, the government took actions one after another,( including stopping of purchase of equipment which was most necessary), to destabilize and weaken BSNL, in order to allow the private companies to grow and maximize their profits. It is well known, whether the UPA or the NDA, it is the government of the corporate, for the corporate and by the corporate. Both of them, one after another, ensured that BSNL is stunted and is kept like a bonsai tree, allowing it not to grow.
It is only through sustained struggle of the workers that BSNL continues without being disinvested or privatized. It was through the 100% strike of the workers in 2007, that at least some equipment could be purchased, even after the cancellation of tenders at the behest of Minister. The “Customer Delight Year” and such programmes initiated by the Joint Action Committee/Joint Forum/Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations helped to improve the services.
While there was good profit during the first 7-8 years, it is loss during the last 5 years. But due to the continued concious effort of the unions and workers as also some recent initiatives by the Management, the situation is turning around. The loss is coming down for the last two years and the number of new connections is increasing. It is expected that the company will be profitable by three-four years.
But it is not an easy task. The anti-people, anti-worker, anti-PSU policy being adopted by the Modi government is a threat to the future of BSNL also. The workers have to be vigilant and ready for action against these wrong policies, as earlier. BSNL is our home and it has got to be protested. Let us make all out efforts for the same.
STRUGGLE FOR UNITY, UNITY FOR STRUGGLE AND STRUGGLE AND UNITY FOR PROGRESS!
MAKE ALL OUT EFFORTS TO RESTORE THE PAST GLORY OF BSNL!
GREETINGS TO THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED AND HELPED BSNL TO SURVIVE!
REVOLUTIONARY GREETINGS TO THE COMRADES WHO FOUGHT AND SUSTAINED BSNL ALL THESE YEARS!
26 Saturday Sep 2015
Posted in BSNL News
BSNL is a most prestigious PSU of the Central government. It provides communications services to the people in all parts of the country. Communications systems are becoming fast to faster.
As such, the BSNL Management also should be fast in its decisions and implementation. But unfortunately it is entwined in the bureaucratic and cumbersome process of the government system and its decisions are very slow and implementation slower. Especially in the case of staff issues, it moves just like tortoise.
Whether it is PLI, change of designation, wage revision, promotions, anomalies – the management is taking too much time to take decisions and then much more time to implement. BSNL can not afford to be slow, in providing services or in settling the workers issues. Issues are to be settled through negotiations. However, on each and every issue, the workers are compelled to resort to agitation due to the negative attitude and delay.
The BSNL Management has to rethink about its functioning so that quicker services and quicker sorting out of the issues of the workers could be done.
24 Thursday Sep 2015
Posted in BSNL News, CG Employees, General
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The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has ordered that an employee is entitled to full pay and allowances during the period of suspension from the employer in case of acquittal and the grounds of acquittal have no bearing on the matter.
In its order in Mohinder Singh, an employee of BSNL, Abhor Vs. BSNL the CAT stated ” An acquittal whether on benefit of doubt or otherwise should lead to the same consequences. Therefore, the applicant is entitled to full pay and allowances for period of suspension ordered only because of the criminal case”.
On the basis of this order, similar cases can be taken up in CAT.
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