Category Archives: BSNL

Decision to reduce retirement age from 60 to 58 in BSNL is in violation of 2000 agreement.

22 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by in BSNL, BSNLEU

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The reported decision of the central govt to reduce the retirement age of BSNL employees from 60 to 58 is against the assurance of the central government that the opted employees will not be at any disadvantage in BSNL. This was clearly stated at the time of the formation of BSNL. The retirement age for CG employees is 60 now, and it can not be reduced for the BSNL employees.

Further, the employees have planned so many arrangements like marriage of sons/daughters, construction of houses, refund of loans and other financial dealings taking in to consideration that they will be  getting salary till they complete 60 years. All these plans will be smashed, if the retirement age is reduced from 60 to 58.

Further, more than  20,000 employees will be retiring in the next two years even without reducing the retirement year. Then why this unusual haste.

The amount which will be required immediately for the pensionary benefits can be utilised for the development/expansion of BSNL.

The BSNL Unions/Associations have strongly protested against the move to reduce retirement age and organised massive protest demonstrations. Further programmes are on the anvil.

The govt should drop the decision.

Closure / Privatisation of PSUs will be a national disaster – SAVE PSU , SAVE NATION!

25 Thursday Jul 2019

Posted by in BSNL, PSU

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Move to close or privatise the central PSUs, one after another, by the Modi government will, no doubt, lead the country to a national disaster. It is these 340 and more PSUs, which built up the infrastructure in various sectors and strengthened the economy. It is the nationalised banks which saved India from the financial crisis of 2007, which engulfed almost all the countries in the world. LIC, despite its moderate start, is one of the mighty PSUs, which gives financial assistance to the centre, whenever required and demanded. The dividend and taxes paid by the PSUs to the government come to  lakhs of crores of rupees.

It is only the machinations of the government and the corporates, that some of the major PSUs like BSNL, Air India, ITI, HMT have become loss making. Air India and Indian Airlines were profitable till they were arbitrarily merged and also till orders for 111 flights were ordered at the behest of the Minister when only one third of that number was required for the company. ITI was made loss making by not giving it orders for telecom equipment by BSNL and MTNL as also under-utilising the manufacturing  equipments. The case of HMT is not different. HAL is being weakened by not giving its due order for manufacture of planes, by diverting the same to the unskilled, newly formed company of Anil Ambani. Nationalised Banks are being weakened by merger, reducing the customer base as also weakening the entire sector. Profitable railway stations and trains are being handed over to private companies, leaving the loss making stations and trains with the Indian Railways. Privatising the Airports were done after all the modernisation has been done by the Airport Authority of India spending thousands of crores of rupees.

It is the ordinary people who are at the receiving end. Train and Air charges and mobile charges will be increased as in the case huge increase in petrol and diesel prices. Prices of essential commodities will be increased.

Unless this reckless and anti-people privatisation is stopped, the common people are going to suffer much more.

SAVE PSU – SAVE NATION!

 

 

Telecom Officers on trial in France after privatisation.

11 Thursday Jul 2019

Posted by in BSNL, BSNLEU

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Former top Executives of France Telecom, including the company’s CEO, Director (HR) and Deputy Executive Director are undergoing trial in France. The charge against them is that, they created a hostile work environment, as a result of which 35 telecom employees committed suicide between 2007 and 2010. France Telecom was privatised in 2003. In 2007, an aggressive plan was implemented to cut down the strength of the employees. Accordingly, 22,000 employees, out of the total 1,30,000 workforce, were retrenched. Consequent to this, the workload of the employees increased tremendously. Further, the employees were also subjected to humiliation, accuses Solidaires Unitaires Democratiques, a French trade union. For example, a 28 year old employee hanged himself in 2009, after being transferred. The day before he killed himself, the employee had worked a 12 hour shift, with a single 30 minute break. In 2013 France Telecom was re-branded as Orange. If found guilty, the top Executives will get jail term upto one year and a fine of 15,000 euros as fine.

Whatever happened in France Telecom appears to be repeating in BSNL. As a cost cutting measure, the government wants to retrench 40,000 employees through VRS and by rolling back the retirement age from 60 to 58. The young employees of BSNL are welcoming the government’s move to implement VRS and reduction of retirement age. But they do not know what will happen in BSNL thereafter. What exactly happened in France Telecom, between 2007 and 2010 is likely to repeat. The youngsters have to think about it. (BSNLEU Website)[Source: Business Insider – 10th July, 2019]

 

Decisions of the AUAB meeting held on 03.07.2019

04 Thursday Jul 2019

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A meeting of the AUAB was held yesterday. Com.K. Sebastin, GS, SNEA, presided over. General Secretaries / representatives of BSNLEU, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, BSNL MS and ATM attended the meeting. The meeting expressed it’s severe protest over the taking over of the ALTTC and other properties of BSNL, by the DoT. The meeting also discussed about the developments related to the monetisation of BSNL’s vacant lands, towers and fibre. After in-depth discussions, the following decisions are taken unanimously:-

1. To meet the new CMD BSNL and to discuss about revival of BSNL and certain other issues.
2. To call upon the Executives and Non-Executives of BSNL, to intensify the implementation of the “BSNL At Your Door Steps” movement, with the view to increase BSNL’s revenue collections.
3. To write letter to the DoT, opposing the taking away of BBNL’s maintenance works from BSNL.
4. To write reminders to the Hon’ble MoC & IT and to the Secretary, Telecom, for granting meeting to the AUAB.
(BSNLEU Website)

Corporate penetrate judiciary also.

10 Friday May 2019

Posted by in BSNL, BSNLEU

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Influential corporate houses had managed to penetrate the judiciary – says Justice Arun Mishra of the Supreme Court.
We know that the government policies are being influenced by the big corporates. One good example for this is the privatisation of the public sector companies. But, we are shocked to know that, the big corporates have penetrated into the Supreme Court also. This was revealed by none other than Justice Arun Mishra, of the Supreme Court. He has told that the influential corporate houses had managed to penetrate the judiciary. This statement is made by Justice Arun Mishra, because the judgement delivered by him in the open court, has been changed by the court staff, in the case of controversial builder, Amrapali.

(Courtesy: The Times of India dt. 09-05-2019 )(Courtesy: bsnleu.in)

BSNL Market Share increased from 10.22% to 10.63%

07 Tuesday May 2019

Posted by in BSNL, BSNL News

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Despite all adverse conditions and discrimination by government, BSNL has increased its market share from 10.22% to 10.63% during March 2018 to February 2019. This was announced by BSNL Director (CN) Sheetla Prasad. This is when all telcos are losing market share except Reliance Jio, the favourite of the Modi government.

BSNL in a statement also said that it has installed 54,000 towers during 2018-2019, which is higher than the combined figures of previous three years.

Yes, BSNL can not be defeated. It is moving forward, though slowly.

Prime Minister has to answer to the people.

06 Monday May 2019

Posted by in AUAB, BSNL, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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BSNL is a 100% Government company and dictated by the policies of the government. Whether required or not, the government is interfering in all matters to ensure that BSNL does not expand and is finished so that the private telcos, especially Reliance Jio can capture the entire market. BSNL is a thorn for the Reliance Jio and hence it has to be finished. And it is towards this idea, that central government is acting against BSNL.

But it has gone too far. The one lakh or so contract workers who are working continuously to keep the service maintained in good condition, are not paid their meagre wages for the last 4 months. This is totally unacceptable.

Mr. Prime Minister,  while thousands of crores of rupees are being arranged through loans etc. to the big corporates like Ambani, Adani etc. by you and your government, you are not even allowing BSNL to take loan from the banks to pay the wages to the contract employees.

In your own constituency, Varanasi, the contract workers are only paid about Rs. 1,500 /2000 monthly ( whereas the wages to be paid are Rs.10,500), and that also is not paid for ten months. Cruelty and inhuman action has a limit!

In similar situation in the KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation), when due to loss the company could not pay the wages and pension, the LDF government took up the responsibility and paid the wages and pension, despite the fact the government was in financial difficulty due to floods etc.

Mr. Prime minister, at least show human consideration to the starving families of the contract workers in BSNL. They dont require 50,000 or 60,000 crores of rupees like Adanis and Ambanis, not even 1% of that. You  spend thousands of crores of rupees for your costly dresses, but what about the hungry families, including children?

We request you to act immediately to ensure that the wages with arrears are paid to the BSNL contract workers.

 

 

BSNL stands with Odisha people.

06 Monday May 2019

Posted by in BSNL

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The Fani storm has ravaged Odisha, with about 10 people died, hundreds of houses collapsed and more than 12 lakh people in the relief camps. The situation is very grave and the support and solidarity from all are required.

As in any time of natural calamities like floods, storms etc. BSNL is always there providing service to the affected people, while the private telcos are mostly absent. This is the same with the Fani storm in Odisha. Though initially, there was some problem, BSNL has quickly come back providing service and all help to the people.

BSNL always stand with the people!

Merger of BSNL Circles in the agenda

06 Monday May 2019

Posted by in AUAB, BSNL, BSNLEU

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The government and DOT seems to be always thinking about merger  and or bifurcation with regard to BSNL. Earlier it was the proposal for Merger of BSNL and MTNL. Later there was bifurcation of BSNL in to Tower Company. Both did not work out due to strong opposition from the unions.

As per media reports the present proposal is to merge certain circles in the name of loss and non-viability. The circles proposed to merge are Bihar and Jharkhand, M.P. and Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Haryana, East UP and West UP etc.  These are all circles which had been bifurcated earlier, after formation of new states, except that of East UP and West UP. It is not known whether the issue has been discussed with the Unions/Associations in BSNL, who are always very much anxious to improve the efficiency. By merging these circles, whether the efficiency will go up? Or is it due to non-availability of senior officers to hold the posts and reluctance to post promoted officials?

These are things which adversely affect the efficiency of the services and need to be discussed with the staff/union representatives. They should be informed and their viewpoints also taken in to consideration.

The DOT, BSNL has no right to deny wages to the contract workers.

03 Friday May 2019

Posted by in BSNL, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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BSNL is a 100% owned government Company. About one lakh contract workers in BSNL have not been paid wages for these workers for four months or so. In some circles wages for 10 months or so have not been paid, This is horrible. How can the low paid workers feed their families? They manage their lives on day to day basis and denial of wages for months have destroyed their lives.

The government, at the time of corporatisation, assured the workers that BSNL will be assisted and their future will be  safe. What is happening to the government’s assurance?

Is it not discrimination and a cruel joke, that while those who gets lakhs of rupees and who are in better position are paid, while those at the lowest position and managing hand to mouth are denied their wages?

The immediate demand is that the government / DOT should assist the BSNL and grant sufficient funds to pay the wages of the contract workers.