Category Archives: BSNLCCWF – Casual and Contract workers

Payment of wages to casual, contract, Part-time workers in BSNL during Corona Lock Down Period.

04 Saturday Apr 2020

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Payment of wages to casual, contract, Part-time/Daily workers during Corona Lock Down Period.

Dept. of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, OM F.No.23 (4)/E. Coord/202O/I dated 23/3/2020 stipulates that casual, contract and outsourced workers in different Depts., who will not be able to attend office in view of present Lock Down for Covid-19 prevention, shall be treated as on duty and during such period of absence, necessary pay/ wages would be paid to them accordingly to avoid their hardship in this crisis. This OM shall apply till 30th April 2020.

Contract workers in BSNL, who are working maintaining the essential telecom services throughout the country are not paid wages for the last one year. BSNL is a fully govt owned company. They should be paid the arrears of wages as also wages on the basis of the present order,even if they are not working at present.

Pay wages to contract workers – Message to Shri P.K.Purwar, CMD BSNL

03 Friday Apr 2020

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The e-mail sent to Shri P.K.Purwar, CMD BSNL on the issue of payment of wages to contract workers.

Dear Shri Purwarji,

Good Morning!
You will be extremely busy in dealing with the serious and difficult situation being faced by BSNL in the post- VRS scenario as well as COVID – 19. Hence, I don’t want to take much of your valuable time.
Only one thing I want to request. The 40,000 and contract workers engaged through contractors are in dire situation without wages for about one year. 10 workers have committed suicide, unable to bear the agony of not being able to feed their families. The situation is very pathetic.
I am happy to note that salary payment is being made update for employees.
In the same way, you may kindly take immediate action to pay wages with arrears to the contract workers so that they can sustain their families. In this connection, you may kindly refer to the Govt of India instructions with regard to payment of wages to casual contract workers.
Expecting immediate action,

Yours Sincerely,
V.A.N.Namboodiri,
President, BSNLCCWF. dated 31st March 2020.

Casual Contract Labour issue raised in Parliament by Com.K.K.Ragesh, M.P. (Kerala) on 29-11-2019 supported by many other M.P.s

02 Thursday Apr 2020

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Casual Contract Labour issue raised in Parliament by Com.K.K.Ragesh, M.P. (Kerala) on 29-11-2019 supported by many other M.P.s

NON-PAYMENT OF WAGES TO CASUAL CONTRACT LABOURERS OF B.S.N.L.,

KERALA SHRI K.K. RAGESH (KERALA): Hon. Chairman, Sir, the casual contract labourers of BSNL have not been paid wages for the last ten months. Last month, in Kerala, two workers committed suicide due to non-payment of wages. One Ramakrishnan, an employee working as a sweeper in BSNL, after completing all his work, committed suicide inside the office as he had not been paid wages for the last ten months by BSNL. Not just in Kerala, but throughout the country, casual contract labourers in BSNL have committed suicide. Ten such workers have already committed suicide in our country. I would request the Government to listen to the agony of casual contract labourers, because yesterday the hon. Minister while responding to the issue said that it was due to the contractors. In fact, BSNL did not pay the contractors and that is why contractors were not in a position to pay the workers. Apart from non-payment of wages to the workers, massive retrenchment is also going on. The Government had decided to reduce 80 per cent of the regular workers and also 50 per cent of the contract workers. That means, regular workers are compelled to take VRS and one lakh jobs have already been lost. Fifty per cent of the contract labourers have been asked not to work. Then, who would work, Sir?

MR. CHAIRMAN: What is your suggestion?

SHRI K.K. RAGESH: I don’t know if BSNL is going to be wound up. My point is that since the inception of BSNL, thousands of contract workers have been working on meagre wages. We don’t know what would be the future of those poor workers. I would request the Government to intervene immediately and ensure payment of wages to the BSNL workers, which is due for the last ten months. Otherwise, we would be witnessing mass suicides among the poor casual contract workers.

MR. CHAIRMAN: Let us not hope such a thing happens.

SHRI T.K. RANGARAJAN (TAMIL NADU): Sir, I associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member.
SHRI TIRUCHI SIVA (TAMIL NADU): Sir, I too associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member
SHRI B.K. HARIPRASAD (KARNATAKA): Sir, I too associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member.
SHRI JOSE K. MANI (KERALA): Sir, I too associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member.
PROF. MANOJ KUMAR JHA (BIHAR): Sir, I too associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member.
SHRI SUBHASISH CHAKRABORTY (WEST BENGAL): Sir, I too associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member.
SHRIMATI VIJILA SATHYANANTH (TAMIL NADU): Sir, I too associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member.
SHRI BINOY VISWAM (KERALA): Sir, I too associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member.
SHRI AHAMED HASSAN (WEST BENGAL): Sir, I too associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member.
SHRI ELAMARAM KAREEM (KERALA): Sir, I too associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member.
SHRI K. SOMAPRASAD (KERALA): Sir, I too associate myself with the matter raised by the hon. Member. (End)

Contractual, Casual Staff will be Paid wages during COVID 19 Lockdown Period

28 Saturday Mar 2020

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Govt of India, Ministry of Finance has issued orders that contractual, casual and outsourced staff required to stay at home in view of Lock Down will be treated as ‘duty’ and payment made. BSNL should immediately pay the contract workers their wages at present as of the past one year. Order is given below:

March 24, 2020 admin

Contractual, casual and outsourced staff is required to stay at home in view of lockdown order regarding COVID-19 prevention and they shall be treated as “on duty” during such period of absence and necessary pay/wages would be paid accordingly

F.No.23(4)/E.Coord/2020/1
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Expenditure

North Block, New Delhi
Dated: 23.03.2020

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Sub: Payment of wages to outsourced persons of Ministries / Departments and other organizations of Government of India during lockdown period due to COVID-19

As part of social distancing and isolation measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country, various State/UT Governments have announced lockdown at different places. Instructions have been separately issued by DOP&T regarding maintenance of essential services in Ministries / Departments.

Due to these measures, there is a likelihood of a number of contractual, casual and outsourced staff such as house-keeping staff etc. being required to stay at home, which under normal circumstances would result in deduction in their pay/wages. In order to avoid any undue hardships under the prevailing extraordinary circumstances, it has been decided that wherever any such contractual, casual and outsourced staff of Ministries / Departments and other organizations of Government of India, is required to stay at home in view of lockdown order regarding COVID-19 prevention, as announced by various States /UT Governments, they shall be treated as “on duty” during such period of absence and necessary pay/wages would be paid accordingly.

These instructions shall also apply to Attached/Subordinate Offices, Autonomous / Statutory Bodies of Government of India.

These instructions shall apply till 30th April, 2020.

Pay wages of BSNL contract workers with arrears

23 Monday Mar 2020

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

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After implementation of VRS for 78569 employees by BSNL, the PSU has made good savings monthly. The salaries of February 2020 which was in pending for the employees will be shortly paid and by next month, the salary will be paid in time as per management’s statement. Well and good!

What about the wags of the contract workers which have not been paid for the last one year ? 10 workers have committed suicide unable to bear the pain of seeing their families starved. We demand the management that now the position of BSNL is improving, do not delay the payment of wages to the workers. The one year wages be paid at the earliest.

20th Birth Anniversary of BSNLEU on 22nd March 2020.

20 Friday Mar 2020

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

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(File Photo, Visakhapatnam Conference 22-3-2001)

BSNL Employees Union is completing 19 years of its fruitful existence on 22nd March 2020. It is BSNLEU’s 20th Foundation day.

BSNL Employees Union, the majority recognised union of the BSNL workers, was formed on 22nd March 2001, in the National Convention of eight telecom unions held at Visakhapatnam, in the presence of Com. E.Balanandan, President of CITU and one of the greatest working class leaders India has seen.

Though started with about 50,000 – 60,000 workers, it grew to be the biggest union in BSNL with more than one lakh workers, despite the fact that there was no recruitment and thousands were retiring every year. This was a herculean task, but the united team of the BSNLEU leadership made the ‘impossible in to possible.’

BSNLEU, as the recognised union separately, and also jointly with other unions, both executive and Non-executives, defeated the nefarious designs of the central government, both NDA and UPA, to disinvest BSNL, unbundle the precious copper cables and so on. BSNLEU took the initiative to form the Joint Forum of the Unions and Associations, under which organisation, the battles were fought and the anti-worker decisions of the government defeated.

BSNL and its workers are  facing serious challenges to their existence. The neo-liberal policy initiated by the Congress government in 1991 and aggressively being implemented by  the present BJP government is making it difficult for the PSUs to sustain and grow. In the name of Revival Plan, 78569 employees have been compelled to take VRS in BSNL. Their many problems are there.  4 G Spectrum is still not allotted.Pension Revision is also delayed, without any justification.

The two associations, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF formed at the initiative of BSNLEU has grown and strengthened. But the wages for the contract workers have not been paid for about one year. The demands of the workers, the pensioners and the casual contract labours are interconnected and inseparable. That is why united struggle.

It is in this situation that the  20th Foundation Day of BSNLEU  is coming. This time, there may not be much celebration, meetings etc on mass scale, due to the COVID -19 impact. But let us remember our past struggles and sacrifices so that we can advance with more vigour, determination and strength. BSNL has to be saved and improved to give better service to the nation!

BSNLEU ZINDABAD!

WORKERS UNITY ZINDABAD!

 

Allot 4G Spectrum to BSNL, Launch Services !

19 Thursday Mar 2020

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

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“BSNL’s 4G service.

In the budget for 2020-21, Government has made provision for allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL and the same can be allotted to BSNL in May,2020. However, BSNL will not take the 4G spectrum immediately, since equipments will be ready for launching 4G service only after March, 2021. For 4G spectrum, BSNL has to pay Rs.5.5 crore, per day, as licence fee, even if BSNL does not use it. Hence, it is not wise to take the 4G spectrum, before the equipments are ready.

BSNL is already having 40,000 3G BTSs, which are 4G compatible. All these 40,000 BTSs can be upgraded to 4G BTSs, by which BSNL can immediately launch it’s 4G service. However, BSNL is experiencing certain difficulties in this regard. BSNL has to pay around Rs.2,000 crore as outstanding dues to the vendors of these BTSs, viz., Nokia, ZTE and Erricsson. Apart from that, Nokia is demanding a sum of Rs.3.5 lakh to Rs.7 lakh per BTS, for the upgradation of the 13,000 BTSs supplied by them. Whereas, ZTE is demanding a sum of Rs.7 lakh to Rs.10 lakh per BTS, for the upgradation of the 24,000 BTSs supplied by them. Since the rates are extremely high, BSNL is presently not in a position to upgrade these BTSs, for providing 4G service.” (BSNLEU Website)

The statement of the CMD BSNL as given in the brief of the discussions by the Unions/Associations with the CMD BSNL with regard to allotment of 4G Spectrum is given above. The CMD is stating that the 4G service will be ready for launching by March 2021 only ie. after one year.

This is unacceptable. One more year of delay for 4G services will further benefit the private telcos only and BSNL will suffer. Why can’t BSNL get the 4G Spectrum earlier and launch it? The excuses put by the management is untenable.

BSNL should pay wage and wage arrears to Contract workers.

19 Thursday Mar 2020

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

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Contract workers engaged in BSNL are not paid wages for about one year. They are lowest paid workers and manage their needs by the wages they receive. About 10 comrades have committed suicide unable to face the agony of their families without food. The education of their children are discontinued. The situation is very pathetic.

To a question in the Parliament, Minister for Communications, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad had stated that the contract workers are not employees of BSNL and are engaged by contractors. He added that contractors have been paid money. This is completely wrong. Contract workers are doing the work of BSNL and BSNL is paying the wages through contractors. Hence the responsibility of payment of wages is with BSNL. The contractors are contradicting the statement of the Minister that they have been paid by BSNL.

The central govt and BSNL who have already engaged the contract worker through contractor and had got the work done for the last one year have also got the responsibility to pay them.

BSNL has assured  the Unions/Associations that their salary arrears of one month will be paid by 31st March 2020. What about contract workers?

BSNL and Govt should ensure payment of the contract workers also by 31st March with out fail.

Suicide by BSNL employee due to non-payment of salary.

15 Saturday Feb 2020

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

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The entire BSNL fraternity is extremely sad to hear the tragic news of the suicide of Com. Ramesh Kumar Sondhiya, Asst. Telecom Technician, Jabalpur on 12th February. He was only 37 years old.  It is understood that he took the extreme step due to non-receipt of salary for the last two and half months and unable to cope up with the stress and financial difficulty. Already 8 BSNL contract workers have committed suicide due to non-receipt of wages for several months. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

We demand the government and BSNL to immediately pay the salaries of the employees and the wages of the contract workers. The authorities are fully responsible for these tragic deaths.

 

 

78569 workers will leave BSNL on VRS – What about essential work in BSNL?

01 Wednesday Jan 2020

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

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78569 employees, more than half of the existing workforce in BSNL are leaving the company on 31-01-2020 on Voluntary Retirement Scheme. It will create a big vacuum in BSNL. The work being done by these employees will have to be managed by those remaining in service. It is not an easy task. While VRS is implemented with extra speed, connected other matters in the post VRS situation is not dealt by the BSNL Management or the Govt with the required urgency. Except VRS, the other actions with regards to Revival of BSNL are being delayed. Two months are over by 23rd December 2019, after the declaration of the Revival Plan. What happened to the allotment of 4G Spectrum to BSNL? Private Telcos have already been alloted 5G Spectrum for test purposes. Still no 4G to BSNL. What about Sovereign Guarantee, bank loans to BSNL?

The government should be compelled to honour its commitment. BSNL management should ensure that the Revival Plan is implemented. The contract workers should be paid their back wages. The services of the contract workers are very much required and any move to retrench them should be stopped.

We are sure that the unions and associations in BSNL under the leadership of AUAB will take necessary steps to compel the govt for implementing Revival plan.