Category Archives: BSNLEU

Grant Adhoc Bonus to BSNL Employees, Casual Contract Workers

18 Sunday Oct 2015

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The Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations have demanded that Adhoc Bonus be paid immediately to the BSNL employees, since the discussion on the PLI (Productivity Linked Incentive) is still not completed. The Navaratri has already started and Vijaya Dashami, Puja  is on 22-23 October 2015. There is no further time to discuss and decide. It is therefore important that Adhoc Bonus be paid immediately.

The Bonus or PLI should be paid to the casual and contract workers also, who are the lowest paid in BSNL.

Victimisation in Kerala Telecom Circle

16 Friday Oct 2015

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The brutal victimisation of BSNLEU and SNEA leaders and workers in Kerala  continues. In addition to the 15 comrades already suspended, 4 more have been suspended two days back.  The  CGM,Kerala, MSS Rao, who was put in ” compulsory wait” by the Corporate office, but continues in the post on the basis of High Court order,  is trying to destroy the Kerala Telecom circle, which is the main profit making circle in BSNL.

BSNLEU, SNEA and BSNLCCWF will together fight against this victimisation and harassment of union leaders and workers. Such victimisation has been vacated in the past and will be vacated now. The fate of many such corrupt officers who harassed the workers is well known. There is no doubt that history is going to be repeated.

Telecom TU Movement (10) – Calcutta CWC Meeting and Sanchar Bhawan March

13 Tuesday Oct 2015

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Calcutta CWC Meeting – 18-20 March 1993

The Central Working Committee of E.III Union was held at Calcutta from 18th to 20th of March 1993. Calcutta comrades had made convenient arrangements for the holding of the CWC. It was held at Yuba Kendra, Moulali, in the centre of the city.

The three day CWC gave a clarion call to the leaders and workers to rise above the differences and help settling the problems in E.III Union through discussions so that the Telecom workers can unitedly  organize struggles for defending their rights and interests in the face of severe attacks  due to the retrograde policies of the central government resulting in the threat of massive and indiscriminate computerization and consequential danger of redundancy, retrenchment, mass scale transfers etc.

The CWC was presided over by V.A.N.Namboodiri, President and Moni Bose, General Secretary, presented the report on activities. It strongly protested against the move of corporatization and privatization of telecom services. A strong and united movement is required to resist the anti-worker proposals. The CWC meeting adopted a 30 Points Charter of Demands, including the upgradation of all officials to the restructured cadre after training and re-training. The CWC appealed to SG, NFTE to end disruption of E.III Union and accept democratic functioning.

In order to achieve the demands in the charter, the following programmes of action were decided:

  1. 09-23 April 1991 : Charter of Demands Campaign
  2. 04 May 1993 : Charter of Demands Day
  3. 17-21 May 1993 : Demonstration Week
  4. 04 June 1993 : Dharna

E.III Union requested for joint programmes to SG, but he flatly refused.

However, all these programme were successfully implemented by the E.III Union.

March to Sanchar Bhawan – 18th August 1993

On the call of the All India Telecom Employees Union Class III (E.III Union), about one thousand telecom workers made their presence felt on the streets of the capital culminating in a massive dharna in front of Sanchar Bhawan on 18th August 1993. They came from almost all states by train, buses and other public vehicles. The well decorated and commodious hall of Hindu Mahasabha provided the accommodation for those coming from distant places that needed overnight stay. Others who came by buses/tempos etc. assembled in front of the Mavlankar Hall and finally these streams converged in to the dharna in front of Sanchar Bhawan, the office of the Secretary, DOT.  The Sanchar Bhawan March was in continuation of the four phased programmes adopted at the Calcutta CWC meeting for the realisation of the 30 Point Charter of Demands.

Section 144 was in vogue in the entire area and the telecom administration denied entry inside Sanchar Bhawan as a matter of routine practice. The only course left was to defy the 144 and hold the dharna in the prohibited area, just in front of Sanchar Bhawan. Banners and festoons, posters and placards and shouting of slogans – all these indicated the militancy and the struggle-mood of the workers. The whole area was surrounded by van loads of police and para-military forces. They contemplated mass arrests for violating the law. It was the direct intervention of the TU leaders and MPs which saved the situation.

Exactly at 10.00 AM, the dharna started with V.A.N.Namboodiri, All India President of the union, in the chair. The General Secretary, Moni Bose, welcomed the participants and explained that the purpose of the programme was to break the stalemate and securing justice from the department for the settlement of the fully justified 30 Points Charter of Demands. It was also to show the solidarity of the telecom workers to fight the menace of large-scale privatisation, which was in the offing. The President hailed the workers’ indomitable spirit exhibited in their massive participation. A good number of women comrades were also present.

Com. Suseela Gopalan, M.P., Chairman of the  Co-Ordinating Committee of P and T Unions in Kerala and a Member of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of Communications Ministry, inaugurated the dharna. She hailed the fighting spirit of telecom workers and assured full help and co-operation in the struggle. Com. Saifudheen Choudhary, M.P., greeted the participants  and declared that their struggles for realization of the justified demands will get support from all sides. Com. Ram Vilas Paswan, M.P., strongly criticized the government policies and called upon the telecom workers  to fight for the reversal of such anti-people policies. Com. Chitta Basu, M.P., spoke and gave full support. The leaders of the P and T TU movement, Coms. B.K.Banerjee, RL Bhattacharjee, P.S.Raman Kutty, R.S.Yadav and others addressed the dharna.

The leaders urged upon the telecom workers to play the van guard role in organizing a joint united movement of all central government employees for the realization of basic demands and ensure that the  proposed strike of CG employees by the end of September be a resounding success. The “United Struggle Day” on 25th August is to be organized in an effective manner to prepare the ground for the strike in September, in case the demands are not conceded by the government.

All the leaders appealed the telecom workers to respond to the call of the union and participate in the General Strike and Bharat Bandh on 9th September 1993, to fall in line with the people of our country for  the reversal of the wrong economic policies of the central government and against communalism.

After the Dharna was over, the important functionaries of the union at Circle and district levels assembled at the Dharmashala Hall under the presidentship of V.A.N.Namboodiri. R.S.Yadav, B.P.Singh, J.Sampath Rao, A.C.Shah, K.M.Pillai, Shibdas banerjee, Harcharan Singh, H.S.Dhillon, K.D.M.Tripathy, Tundam, S.R.Nayak and Amina Banerjee addressed the meeting.

General Secretary Moni Bose summed up the discussion and declared amidst cheers that the progressive leadership in E.III Union, while fighting against the disruption from within and outside, will carry forward the crusade for unity and united action against the massive privatization for which a continuous discussion with the Federations/Associations would be carried on. (To be continued)

Mahila Convention and Class at Calicut

08 Thursday Oct 2015

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The Mahila Committee of BSNLEU organised a class and Convention on 8th October 2015 at Calicut. A large number of women  including casual and contract workers participated. The Convention was inaugurated by Com. VAN Namboodiri, Patron, BSNLEU. Com. P.P.Krishnan, Secretary LICEU took class on the present status of women in India. Com. Bhagyalakshmi, Circle Convener, Mahila Committee presided. Com.N.K.Radha, District Convener, Mahila Committee welcomed all. Coms. M.P.Kunhananadan, Treasurer AIBDPA, Jayarajan, District Secretary, BSNLEU and other leaders addressed.

Telecom TU Movement 1991-2015 (9) – Campaign for National Unity

07 Wednesday Oct 2015

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Babri Masjid Demolished – 06-12-1992

6th December 1992 was a sad day for the country. The reactionary forces which roused serious communal tension were able to demolish the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya (Faizabad) on that day. The state government and the Central Government both utterly failed to tackle the situation, although it was well known earlier that the RSS Parivar was preparing for the same for months. The whole nation condemned the incident. It was a serious attack on the secular fabric of the nation. The demolition of Babri Masjid had serious repercussions.

Peace Movement and Demonstration on 13th December 1992

The demolition of Babri Masjit  resulted in much tension and communal disharmony in the country. Many untoward incidents happened. It was the duty of the working class to bring back normalcy and communal harmony. The Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions called for a Peace Rally in Delhi on 13th December 1992. Although the government did not give permission for the rally, a meeting attended more than 3,000 workers were held at Mandi House, in which CG employees including telecom employees participated.

The police arrested the leaders, but were released after intervention of CITU President, E.Balanandan, M.P.

1993

Campaign for National Unity – 30th January 1993

The Sponsoring Committee of Central Trade Unions as part of its progressive movement called upon the workers to organize 30th January 1993, the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, as Campaign for National Unity and to take pledge to preserve and strengthen India’s unity and communal harmony. This was implemented by BSNLEU also.

Help to Cuba – ‘Cuban Princess’

In order to help the Cuban people, who were reeling under the economic blockade of the US and other imperialist countries, Indian people decided to send a ship full of food grains   to this socialist country. The ship “Cuban Princess”, sailed from Calcutta with 10150 tons of food grains, which was received by Fidel Castro, President of Cuba, who stated that this donation will strengthen the relations between the two countries. BSNLEU comrades from many places also helped the food grain collection.

Com.A.S.Rajan, former SG NFPTE expired

Com. A.S.Rajan, former Secretary General of NFPTE as also former General Secretary of P.III Union, passed away on 10-01-1993. He was one of the veteran comrades, who along with Com. KG Bose contested against the revisionist leadership in the Federal Council 1990 and won with good majority.

Amendment to Indian Telegraph Act proposed

The central government in its move in implementing the neo-liberal policy of liberalization, globalization and privatization started targeting the telecom sector for its implementation. A committee with D.N.Nanda, Member (Telecom). DOT as Chairman was constituted to recommend amendments to the Indian Telegraph Act 1886, in order to change the act to bring in private companies. The committee submitted its report on 9th September 1992, recommending formation of a Telecom Regulator, with the aim of privatization. (To be continued)

BSNL should pay Bonus to its employees

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.

Meeting of JAC BSNLEU, SNEA, BSNLCCWF at Thiruvanathapuram on 5th October 2015

28 Monday Sep 2015

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The Joint Action Committee of BSNLEU, SNEA(I) and CCLU (BSNLCCWF) Kerala Circle is organising a Convention at Thiruvananthapuram on 5th October 2015 which will be addressed by Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU, Com.K.Sebastin, General Secretary, SNEA(I) and  Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLCCWF.

The Kerala BSNL workers under the leadership of the three unions are conducting  sustained militant struggles  on the demands of the Contract workers and also against suspension and other victimisation of the leaders and workers of BSNLEU and SNEA.

Revolutionary greetings to the heroic comrades of Kerala BSNL circle, who will continue the struggle till victory!

UNITY FOR STRUGGLE! STRUGGLE FOR UNITY! UNITY & STRUGGLE FOR PROGRESS!

Massive Dharnas by BSNL Employees against formation of Tower Company.

16 Wednesday Sep 2015

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As per the call of the Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations, countrywide dharnas were organised today, 16th September 2015, opposing formation of a Tower Company bifurcating BSNL and demanding that the decision be cancelled forthwith. In all the SSAs, the dharnas were organised successfully with massive participation. The agitators shouted slogans against the anti-worker, anti-PSU policies being implemented by the Government.

In Delhi, the dharna was organised in front of the Corporate office, participated by more than 500 workers. In addition to those in Corporate Office and NTR Circle, volunteers came from Haryana, UP(West) and Punjab in large numbers. Com. C.Singh, President, Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations presided. The dharna was inaugurated by Com.VAN Namboodiri, former Convener, Forum and Patron of BSNLEU. He spoke in detail about the anti-worker anti-PSU policies of the both the UPA and NDA governments and the necessity of fighting them. He stated that the proposal for Tower company will take away the revenue of BSNL, making it more unviable and demanded the government that the decision should be withdrawn. Comrades Swapan Chakroborty, Offg. General Secretary, BSNLEU, G.L.Jogi, Chairman, SNEA, KG Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA and leaders of all the unions/associations addressed. The dharna demanded the government to withdraw the anti-PSU decision of formation of Tower Company.

The Forum will meet, review the programme conducted and planfurther programme.

Hearty Congratulations to all the workers and leaders, who made the dharnas big success!

 

Kerala CGM BSNL transferred – a success for the Workers Struggle.

16 Wednesday Sep 2015

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At last, the CGMT Kerala, Shri MSS Rao, has been transferred from the CGM post. Shri Anantharam, Sr. GM, Eluru, has been posted in place.

It is a success for the BSNL workers of Kerala. BSNLEU, SNEA and BSNLCCWF have been on struggle demanding the transfer of the anti-worker CGM, against whom many allegations are there about corrupt practices.

The Unions have demanded the CMD BSNL to set aside all the suspensions, get withdrawn the FIRs etc in connection the struggle. CMD assured that this will done. Further the committee on wages of contract workers will start  functioning from 18th September onwards.

The Kerala Circle Unions will discuss and take the decisions about the ongoing struggle.

The Hunger Strike against victimisation of Kerala Comrades and other programmes decided in this connection by CHQ of all the   three unions has been withdrawn.

We Congratulate the employees and workers of Kerala for their steadfast struggle which compelled the transfer of CGM and assuring the vacation of victimisation.

Telecom TU Movement 1991-2015 (7) – Workers Struggle against New Economic Policies

15 Tuesday Sep 2015

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Workers’ Struggle Against new Economic Policies – National Convention on 10th May 1992

The new liberal economic policies of the government with its Liberalisation, Privatisation, Globalisation programmes were being implemented with out any consideration of adverse effects on the workers and the common people.

The National Convention of Trade Unions Against Economic and Industrial Policies held at Mavlankar Hall, New Delhi on 10th May 1992 under the auspices of the National Trade Unions and participated by Confederation of CG Employees & Workers, Federations, Associations and Unions of various industries  etc. adopted a resolution calling upon the workers through out the country to join the All India Strike on 16th June 1992. The  Convention also called upon all democratic and patriotic sections of people to support the mass action of the workers to safe-guard the sovereignty of the nation. Telecom workers actively participated in the convention.

Further Attack on E-III Union – Bombay Meeting called by NFTE

There was no respite on the attack on E.III Union by NFTE and government/DOT. In his capacity as the SG NFTE, OP Gupta issued a notice for a meeting of the E-III Circle secretaries  to be held at Bombay from 3rd to 5th June 1992, with the agenda “Resolving the dispute on E-III and if necessary hold election for CHQ”. Situation went to the extreme and the conspiracy  was exposed when DOT through its letter dated 05-05-1992 asked O.P.Gupta, SG NFTE to intervene in E.III Union by invoking Art. 25© of the Union Constitution.

The disruptors thought that they will be able to smash the new E.III leadership by this black strategy. But once again, they were in the wrong. E.III Assistant General Secretary Com. M.N.Reddy moved the Hyderabad High Court against the illegal meeting. The Hon’ble High Court of Vacation, Civil Judge, City Civil Court, Hyderabad in its order dated 28-05-92 stayed the illegal meeting notified by OPG.

At the same time another interim order was got issued by Calcutta High Court restraining the authorities (DOT) from giving any effect to the purported decision of non-acceptance of Com.Moni Bose as the elected general secretary of the E.III Union by DOT as well as the illegal Bombay meeting called.

Thus once again, the game of the disruptors to destabilize the militant E.III Union was defeated. Both the DOT and the disruptors stood disgraced.

E.III Office Bearers’ Meeting on 1-2 June 1992

A meeting of the office-bearers of E.III Union was held on 1-2 June 1992, which decided to organize massive dharnas on 15th July 1992 demanding recognition of Com. Moni Bose as General Secretary.

Moni Bose, GS, addressed a letter dated 06-07-1992 to OPG as SG NFTE asking him to accept the democratic decisions and to end the disruption of E.III Union. Mentioning the disruptive actions taken by SG NFTE one after another, Moni Bose demanded him to put an end to the anti-worker, anti-union activities. He further appealed to SG “ to honour the democratic verdict of the highest forum of the union- the AIC at Bhopal and extend co-operation so that the elected office-bearers can serve the cause of the membes for a full tenure”. But, unfortunately, all these went in to deaf years.

Despite clear court orders, OPG continued with the fake list with M.B.Vichare as General Secretary. Further the three posts of Members of the Departmental Council were denied to the duly elected office-bearers. Not a single post of JCM members was allotted to E.III office-bearers. (To be continued)