Category Archives: BSNL

Non-payment of salary and vindictive actions – AUAB to organise hunger strike at BSNL Corporate Office.

07 Thursday Mar 2019

Posted by in AUAB, BSNL, BSNLEU

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The AUAB conducted it’s emergent meeting today the 07.03.2019. General Secretaries /Representatives of BSNLEU, NFTE BSNL, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, AIGETOA, TEPU, BSNL MS, BSNLOA attended. Meeting discussed the following.

Non-payment of salary to the BSNL Employees for the month of February 2019.
Vindictive actions against AUAB Leaders, particularly leaders of Executive Associations.
Issues in the charter of demands submitted by AUAB.
After discussion at length on the above issues, following decisions were taken unanimously.

To meet CMD BSNL, immediately after the meeting, on the issue of non payment of salary of Feb 2019 and vindictive actions.
To organise Relay Hunger Strike from 12th March 2019 at Corporate Office.
If issues are not settled, hunger strike is to be organised at circle and SSA levels.
To organise the March to PMO in April,2019.
[Date : 07 – Mar – 2019](bsnleu website)

High handedness of the DOT/Government – Salary not paid to BSNL Employees

01 Friday Mar 2019

Posted by in BSNL, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU, General

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Strong protest demonstrations were held all over India before Telephone Exchanges/GM Offices demanding immediate payment of the monthly salary for February 2019.Salaries are being paid on the last date of the month. But the February salary has not been paid so far on the plea that the management has got no money to pay. This is atrocious.

It is well known that BSNL has become loss making, only due to the anti-BSNL, Anti-PSU policy of the government and the mismanagement of the top level management. When the company was in profit, large scale corruption also took place. Various suggestions have been given by the unions/associations for improvement of the services as also for development. In order to favour the private telcoms, all kinds of restrictions were put on BSNL to ensure that it does not grow and make profit. BSNL was not allowed even to buy mobile lines, when there was good demand. Still the employees worked hard and ensured that better service is provided.

By the predatory pricing started by Reliance Jio, all companies have become loss making, including Jio itself, though by manipulation of accounts, it shows a small profit. This has been exposed by telecom experts. BSNL is also in loss. All private companies are taking loans and managing the services. But though BSNL is having only the minimum loans, despite repeatedly requested by BSNL management, it is not allowed to take loans by DOT. The fact that NITI Ayog has proposed either to privatise or close BSNL, though denied later, shows that Government is determined to destablise BSNL to favour Reliance Jio, which is owned by Mukesh Ambani, the close friend of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

If BSNL has been allowed to take loan, the salaries could be paid. The contract workers in BSNL have not been paid wages for about three months or more. These are all part of the government proposal to privatise or close BSNL. The revival plans proposed by government are nothing but proposals to close the PSU.

As per the call of All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB), Circle and District Unions have been meeting M.P.s and presenting Memorandum on the survival of BSNL and requesting to pressurize the government to help BSNL to survive and improve. It has been pointed out that if BSNL is not in the field, the entire 100 crores and mobile subscribers of all companies will have to pay at least three or four times the charges, since the private telecom will raise it as was in the case of petrol prices. To stop this increase in charges, the presence of BSNL is unavoidable.

Along with the M.P.s, the leaders of all political parties may be approached so that it becomes an important issue in the election as also afterwards.

NITI Ayog and DCC can not take authoritarian and anti-BSNL/MTNL decisions

25 Monday Feb 2019

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, AUAB, BSNL, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU

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NITI Ayog and Digital Communication Commission, which replaced the earlier Planning Commission and Telecom Commission respectively, are submitting recommendations and taking decisions one after another against the interests of BSNL and MTNL and also against the interests of the people. What is the justification for them to raise the issue of privatisation or closure of the telecom PSUs? In a blind dash to favour the Reliance Jio, the company owned by Mukesh Ambani, the richest person in the country, they want to weaken BSNL and MTNL and either hand them over to the private or close.

Both BSNL and MTNL have been serving the people at low cost and still continues to do so. Curtailing the PSUs to do business in a competitive manner and efficient service, DOT and government had put all blocks and barriers for the regular functioning of the PSUs. Still they are increasing their connections and service. Lakhs of additional connections are being provided by BSNL every month. It is because of all these, that the NITI Ayog and DCC have started fresh attacks against BSNL and MTNL.

BSNL, MTNL and their workers have to approach the people at large, exposing the negative role of the government and win their support for the fight against disinvestment, VRS, privatisation etc. in this sector.
People are the ultimate masters. Employees are engaged to serve them.

Three Days Strike to save BSNL – news reports

19 Tuesday Feb 2019

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

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More than a lakh employees and officers working with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) have started the three-day nation-wide strike highlighting their long pending issues including the allocation of 4G spectrum to the public sector telecom entity and wage revision. The massive participation of workers in various circles of BSNL conveys a strong message to the centre which has been constantly trying to destabilise the Public Sector Undertaking (PSU).

The strike which had been called by All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) – a united platform of various organisations including BSNL Employees’ Union, National Federation of Telecom Employees, All India Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Executive’s Association, Sanchar Nigam Executives’ Association, All India Graduate Engineer and Telecom Officer’s Association, Telecommunication Employees Progressive Union, BSNL Officers Association among others – started the protest at 12 am on Monday, and it will continue till January 20.

The striking workforce paid homage to the CRPF forces who had been killed in the Pulwama terror attack on Monday morning. Following the attacks, Jammu and Kashmir circle of BSNL has been excluded from the strike.

Along with the strike call, AUAB has put forward an eight-point charter of demands. Allocation of 4G spectrum to BSNL is the primary one in the demand charter. Though the private operators were allotted 4G spectrum in October 2016 itself, BSNL is still waiting for the 4G spectrum. The absence of 4G services reduces the competency, and it may eventually lead to the dismantling of BSNL.

“The effect of the closure or disinvestment of BSNL or MTNL will be that there would not be any competition and the corporates like Reliance Jio would raise the charges as much as they want since there is no public sector service to curtail the charges,” said VAN Namboodiri of BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation.

“Secondly, if it is disinvestment, the corporate sharks are waiting for the land assets of the BSNL/MTNL, as had happened in the case of VSNL by Tata. Another aspect is that only BSNL is serving in certain border areas and in Naxal-affected regions. At the time of the floods, natural calamities etc., it is only BSNL which comes to the rescue,” he said.

The proposals regarding allocation of the 4G spectrum had been submitted by BSNL in December, 2017. In the meeting that was held on February 24, 2018, the minister had assured that 4G spectrum would be allotted to BSNL. But the promise is yet to be fulfilled even after so many protests and meetings.

“Abnormal delay in the allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL is adversely affecting the financial revival of the Company. NITI Aayog and Finance Ministry, which doled out huge concessions to bail out the private operators, are opposing 4G spectrum allotment to BSNL,” AUAB said in statement.

Other demands by the employees include payment of pension contribution by BSNL as per the government rule, approval for BSNL’s Land Management Policy without any delay, scrapping of BSNL’s outsourcing for the operation and maintenance of its mobile towers etc.

The final demand in the charter is the settlement of the left out issues of the 2nd Pay Revision Committee. (Courtesy: Newsclick)

Article on BSNL Casual Contract workers in Frontline

16 Saturday Feb 2019

Posted by in BSNL, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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A well documented article on the sad state of the BSNL Casual Contract workers is published in the ‘Front Line’ February 15th issue. It is written by Smt. T.K.Rajalakshmi, an expert on Telecom matters. An article to be read by all connected with BSNL casual and contract workers.

Talks fail – AUAB decides to go ahead with the strike.

16 Saturday Feb 2019

Posted by in BSNL

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Today the CMD BSNL and Director HR met the AUAB leaders. The AUAB representatives told the Management that, they are prepared to accept 3rd Pay Revision with 5% fitment, as offered earlier by the DoT. However, they demanded that this commitment should be given in writing by the DoT, so that the AUAB can consider deferment of the strike. Even this demand of the AUAB is not accepted. Further, the DoT has also diluted it’s earlier assurance to give DA neutralisation. The DoT is demanding that the AUAB should call off the strike, in view of the terror attack in Pulwama. The Secretary, Telecom, has put a condition that she would not meet the AUAB leaders, unless they call off the strike. Immediately after the meeting with the BSNL Management, all the General Secretaries of the AUAB met and decided to go ahead with the strike. The AUAB has also decided to exempt J&K circle from the strike, to ensure maintenance of services, in the backdrop of the terror attack. The AUAB requests all the circle and district unions to organise the strike powerfully.

[Date : 16 – Feb – 2019](BSNLEU website)

Considering equipping MTNL and BSNL to start providing 4G Services – Communications Minister

08 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by in BSNL, General

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‘Replying to supplementaries in the Lok Sabha,Communications Minister Manoj Sinha said that the government is also considering equipping MTNL and BSNL to start providing 4G services’. He also stated that the government is seriously looking for a revival plan for state owned MTNL.'(Press report – Telecom – Economic Times).

The people and workers want action, not statements. Allotting 4G Spectrum immediately is a must.

Government should implement assurances given to AUAB on Wage Revision etc.

08 Friday Feb 2019

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During the strike discussion with the Hon. Minister of Communications, the AUAB leaders were given assurances on the major demands of the workers. But none of the same has been implemented and undue delay is taking place in taking decisions. This is completely unacceptable to the workers and pensioners.

The AUAB has been compelled to call for strike for 3 days w.e.f 18th to 20th February and the strike notice has been given by the affiliate unions/associations.  In addition, the BSNLCCWF, the federation of the casual and contract workers has also given strike notice.

It is demanded that the issues raised by the AUAB  and the unions are discussed and settled at the earliest failing which, the govt. will have to face the massive strike and the wrath of the workers.

Why intensified attacks on BSNL?

06 Wednesday Feb 2019

Posted by in BSNL

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Despite the assurance given by the Communications Minister to the AUAB, settlement of the demands are pending and the AUAB is compelled to issue strike notice to the government for 3 days strike from 18th February 2019. Probably, the statement of Mukesh Ambani, owner of Reliance Jio, that only BSNL is his competitor, is one reason. When Mukesh Ambani, favourite corporate leader to the government is stating that BSNL is his competitor, it is an open suggestion to the government that BSNL should be somehow killed or maimed. Denial of 4G spectrum to BSNL, delay in wage revision and pension revision, no action to reduce the pension contribution limited to the actual pay, denial of 30% pensionary benefits to DR officials etc. are clear hints that the government is going back on its commitments. The beneficiary is Reliance Jio.

HAL was denied Rafale plane order in favour of Anil Ambani’s new company which has no experience in plane building at all. Private companies were favoured for purchase of telecom towers, when better towers manufactured by Telecom Factories of BSNL were ready and available. There are several examples when PSUs were ignored and private corporates were favoured.

BSNL has been an unfavourable child from the first. Government thought that BSNL will be a total failure in the fiery competition with the private companies. When it is surviving this cut-throat competition, Central government is trying to kill it directly. But remember that there is a strong untied force of the workers to defend their own BSNL.

Charter of Demands of the three days strike by BSNL employees from 18th February 2019

01 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNL, BSNLEU

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The following is the Charter of Demands for the 3 day strike from 18.02.2019.

= Implementation of 3rd Pay Revision with 15% fitment.
= Allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL, as per the proposals submitted by the BSNL Management.
= Implement assurance of the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications for delinking pension revision from pay revision. Revise pension of BSNL retirees w.e.f. 01.01.2017.
= Payment of pension contribution by BSNL as per the government rule.
= Settlement of the left out issues of the 2nd Pay Revision Committee.
= a) Approval for BSNL’s Land Management Policy without any delay.
= b) Expeditiously complete the mutation and the process of transferring of all assets to BSNL, as per the Cabinet decision taken on the eve of the formation of BSNL.

= (a) Ensure financial viability of BSNL, as per the decision taken by the Group of Ministers, at the time of formation of BSNL.
= (b) Issue letter of comfort for BSNL’s proposals for taking bank loans.

(= c) Expeditiously fill up all vacant post of BSNL Board of Directors.

= 8. Scrap BSNL’s outsourcing for the operation and maintenance of it’s mobile towers.

[Date : 01 – Feb – 2019]