16 Tuesday Dec 2014
Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLCCWF, met Shri RK.Goyal, GM (Estt), BSNL and discussed about the necessity of payment of Gratuity to the families of those casual labour who have expired and also to those who have completed 60 years and were disengaged from work. A letter with the list of names of concerned labour, was submitted.
GM (Estt.) stated that this will be examined sympathetically.
09 Tuesday Dec 2014
BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation has been continuously raising the issue of EPF for both casual and contract workers in BSNL. It was implemented from 2011 for both casual and contract workers; but not everywhere. The Federation is trying to get it implemented to all casual contract workers.
In the meantime, implementation of EPF for the casual workers from 2000, the year from which BSNL was formed was taken up with the Parliamentary Standing committee on Labour as also the Chief EPF Commissioner, Delhi. The latter called a meeting of both BSNCCWF and the BSNL Management in which the demand was again raised. The Management agreed to consider the same.
The BSNL Management Committee has already approved EPF for casual labours with retrospective effect from 2000. Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri President BSNLCCWF met the CMD BSNL last week and pressed for early decision in the matter.
This issue is an item in the agenda of the BSNL Board meeting today, 9th December 2014. We hope that the BSNL Board will approve the same which is fully justified and is a long pending demand of the casual workers.
05 Friday Dec 2014
Meeting with CMD BSNL on Casual and Contract Workers’ issues
Com.VAN Namboodiri, President, BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation (BSNLCCWF) met Shri A.N.Rai, CMD BSNL on 4th December 2014 and discussed the following issues:
Meeting with GM (Estt.)
Com. VAN Namboodiri, President, BSNLCCWF, met Shri R.K.Goyal, GM(Estt.) and discussed about the regularisation of the left out TSM/casual workers. He stated in view of the matter being discussed in the Parliamentary Standing Committee, the matter has again been referred to the Attorney General for his advice with reference to the Supreme Court Judgment in the Umadevi case. The advice is expected shortly.
29 Saturday Nov 2014
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The Central government is passing bills one after another, in the name of labour reforms, to curtail the rights of the workers won through hard struggles.
This time, it is the Bill seeking exempting lakhs of establishments, about 482.7 of them, from filing returns and maintaining registers, which is passed by the Parliament. The definition of small establishments, which need not furnish returns have been increased from 10 to 40 workers. This will keep away crores of workers in the 4 crore and off establishments.
The acts which can be avoided by the small establishments are Motor Transport Workers Act 1961, The Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, The Interstate Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of service) Act 1979, The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of service) Act 1996.
There was strong opposition from Congress, CPI(M), TMC and Biju Janata Dal.
We express our strong protest and condemn the NDA government for passing such aan anti-labour and pro-corporate Bill.
27 Thursday Nov 2014
The two lakh BSNL Non-Executive Employees and one lakh casual and contract workers have started their one day strike today, 27th November 2014, from 00.00 to 24.00 hours. The reports getting from various centres are very positive and a full strike is taking place. The Call is given by the JAC of Non-Executive Employees and the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation.
The strike is taking place due to the utter negative and insensitive attitude of the BSNL Management in not settling the long pending issues of the non-executives, despite continued persuasion. In the case of casual and contract workers, it is mainly the non-implementation of the government and BSNL C.O. orders. The casual and contract workers engaged for more than 20-25 years are still not regularised so far.
The reports so far received indicates a full strike in all the places. The workers are angry and unhappy that the management has denied their justified demands.
Hearty Congratulations and Warm greetings to all the workers and labours, who have made the strike a mighty action.
26 Wednesday Nov 2014
The adamant and negative attitude of the management to the long pending and fully justified demands of the non-executive workers have made the strike on 27th November 2014 a must. It can be understood that how casually the management has taken the strike is evident from the discussion yesterday between the management and the JAC. Neither CMD was present nor even a Director of the BSNL Board. There were 4-5 GMs, who can only intimate the decisions taken so far by the management; and there were no decisions. It was only requesting the workers to withdraw their strike. This insult has to be replied with a mighty strike, that they will not forget.
The conciliation by the Regional Labour Commissioner was also not different. The management representatives had nothing more to offer. It was also destined to fail.
The Strike by the Non-Executive workers on 27th November 2014 has to be made a big success. Ensure the participation of all workers.
The BSNLCCWF has also called for a strike of the casual and contract workers in BSNL on the same day with their Charter of Demands. Both the strikes has to be co-ordinated and made successful.
Towards Strike! Towards victory!
25 Tuesday Nov 2014
The discussion on the strike demands held today between the BSNL Management and the JAC failed. Not even a single demand of the employees was accepted by the BSNL Management.
The JAC met immediately after the discussion and after reviewing the discussion unanimously decided to go ahead with the strike decision.
The BSNL Management is taking the unions for granted. The patience of the Unions is taken for weakness. The 30 point charter includes long pending demands which needs to be addressed for motivation of the staff as well as for the revival of BSNL. The obstinacy of the BSNL Management has got to be replied by cent per cent strike on 27th November 2014. Forward to a mighty strike with full participation of all the non-executive employees of BSNL.
The Casual and Contract Workers are also on strike on the same day on their own Charter of Demands. The BSNLCCWF has not even been called for discussion. The Casual and Contract Workers who are brutally exploited and on whose hard work the maintenance of BSNL exists, are being completely ignored and taken for granted. Their strike also will be full. Their fight is for implementation of the government orders on payment of minimum wage, social security measures etc.
Both the non-executive employees, casual and contract workers together, about three lakh workers will make the 27th November Strike a historic one.
26 Sunday Oct 2014
Posted in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers
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BSNL CCWF has given another letter to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, countering the statement of BSNL Management that in all the circles, the labour laws, minimum wage, EPF etc have been implemented. The hollowness and falseness of the management statement has been exposed with concrete evidences and figures.
BSNLCCWF requested the Standing Committee to direct the BSNL Management to ensure implementation of minimum wage etc.
23 Thursday Oct 2014
Posted in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers
AN APPEAL TO ITS OFFICERS, EXECUTIVES AND EMPLOYEES OF BSNL TO HELP END EXPLOITATION IN BSNL AND TO ENSURE JUSTICE TO CASUAL CONTRACT WORKERS
Dear Friends, Colleagues and Comrades,
My Best Wishes for a Happy Diwali to you and your Family !
As employees and officers of BSNL, we have been making all out efforts to improve the services to the customers as also for strengthening the financial viability of BSNL. We are all committed for restoring the glory and efficiency of the telecom services.
Compared to the present economic situation in the country, we all are adequately paid to a certain extent. Of course many demands are there, which are fully justified and which are yet to be granted. We are capable of fighting and getting our rights accepted as in the past.
Now I want to bring to your kind attention a very unhappy story of wage-slavery and brutal exploitation continuing in our own BSNL. I am talking about the one lakh and odd TSM/Casual and Contract labours who are engaged for work in BSNL and continuing for years together.
The casual labour were engaged prior to BSNL formation, mostly through employment exchanges. The contract labours are engaged mostly after formation of BSNL. All the casual labour / TSM could have been regularised, but for the unpardonable administrative delay in forwarding their cases to corporate office by the field level management.
we, officers and employees, are demanding for better wages, benefits etc. and going on struggle for achieving the same. But these casual and contract workers are pleading and appealing that whatever are the labour laws in the country be implemented with regard to Minimum Wage, Bonus, EPF, ESI, Gratuity, Regularisation etc. It is not that rules are not there. But they are not being implemented.
BSNL is a PSU, fully owned by the Government, but the laws of the government are violated and not implemented here. An unskilled contract worker in a C class City is to be paid around Rs.7,000/ for a month based on the daily rates plus DA decided by the Government and labour department. For semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled as also in A and B class cities the wages are higher. But, except in very few places, the worker is paid only Rs. 1,000/ to Rs. 4,000 or so. Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5000 which is due to him/her is denied. Think about what will happen if such an amount is reduced from your pay packet? What will be your reaction? You will certainly fight on the day itself and ensure that your full due is paid. EPF / ESI is not implemented in the case of contract workers, thus denying them any benefit when they are unable to work in their old age.
These workers are brutally exploited by the Contractor and in many places employees / officers become party to this exploitation. Not a single contractor has been punished or blacklisted all these years despite violation of law has been brought to the notice of the top management. This speaks a lot. A top official of the Management stated that this is a practice going on for long and is difficult to put an end to. This is sad news.
You will agree that this exploitation should end and that the contract/casual workers also should get a fair deal. This can be achieved if all of us come together and take a firm position that we will not allow this exploitation to continue.
The corrupt contractors and corrupt officers and employees who support them should be exposed. They should be taken to task. The casual and contract workers should get justice.
I would request you once again to come together to remove this stigma of corruption and exploitation in BSNL and ensure a better deal for these toiling workers whose future is tied up with us and the revival of BSNL.
Once again I wish you on this Diwali Day and request that let us all try to bring some light in to the lives of these exploited section of workers, who are our colleagues and comrades.
Yours Sincerely,
Sd/-
V.A.N.Namboodiri
President BSNL Casual Contract Workers Federation and
Convener, Forum of BSNL Unions / Associations.
22 Wednesday Oct 2014
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BSNL Corporate Office has asked all the CGMs to immediately intimate the details of the casual labour working in their circles, in connection with the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, which require the information.
BSNLCCWF also may be intimated by the circle secretaries about the details of the casual labour at he earliest.
VAN Namboodiri's Blog 