The Circle Conference of the BSNLEU Delhi NTR Circle Conference was held today, 29th August  2012 at the CTO dormitory Hall. I was invited to inaugurate the same and I did the same speaking briefly on the issues faced by the working class with special emphasis on BSNL issues. The need for better service and development and expansion were also stressed. Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU and also CGM NTR, CGM ETP and others addressed. Com.H.L.Makkar, senior leader and President of Circle Union presided. Coms. Chiddu Singh, Vice-President and R.S.Chauhan Circle Secretary welcomed and all and presented with shawls garlands etc. There were good number of delegates.

NTR Delhi is a special circle. While STR,STP,ETR,ETP,WTP,WTR and NTP are all non-territorial circles, Northern Telecom Region is a territorial circle with large number of workers, including the CTO Delhi. It has got staff in J&K, HP, Punjab, Utharakhand, UP, Haryana and Rajasthan. These are all district unions. Delegates from most of these circles were present. So the problems of almost  9 circles have to be discussed by the circle union.

Since the NTR circle was the force and support base of BSNLEU in Delhi along with the Corporate office circle, the management has been continuously trying to shift staff from NTR to Corporate Office, DOT, Haryana, UP etc. so that the staff in NTR can be reduced. This has actually reduced the staff to almost 50%. Despite strong protest by the union, the transfer and deputation could not be stopped. This conference also discussed the matter and demanded the management to stop this unjustified process.

I could not attend the conference fully since I had to come back to my home, the day being ONAM, the main festival of Kerala.

Full preparations are going on for he holding of the  All India Conference of BSNLEU at Ludhiana from 25th to 28th September 2012. This is the 6th AIC, the first being at Visakhapatanam, second at Lucknow, the third at Gauhati, the 4th at Mumbai and the 5th and last at Thiruvananthapuram in May 2010. BSNLEU is one union which holds its conferences in time. Almost all the Circle Conferences are over. The delegates have been mostly elected.

The Reception Committee at Ludhiana is making all arrangements for the successful conduct of the AIC. Today, the CHQ leaders Com. V.A.N.namboodiri and  P.Abhimanyu, All India president and General Secretary respectively had detailed discussion with Com. Moudgil and   Com. Balbir Singh, Reception Committee leaders about h arrangements, programme, accommodation, food arrangements etc.

One problem the Reception Committee leaders mentioned was the large number of visitors preparing to come to the AIC. The total number may to about 4000. The problem is that the Reception Committee has arranged accommodation for only the delegates and visitors. And as such those who are other than the delegates and visitors will have difficulty. As such the Reception Committee has requested that only the delegates and visitors decided by the CHQ come to AIC.

Certainly we have to consider the request of  the R/C.

The All India Conference of BSNL Employees Union, the recognised and representative union in BSNL for the last eight years, is scheduled to be held at Ludhiana, the industrial hub of Punjab, the Land of the Five Rivers. The dates are from 25 to 28 September, only about one and half-month.

The Reception Committee, led by the Circle President Com. R.L.Moudgil and Circle Secretary Com. Balbir Singh are making all preparations for conducting the AIC in a good atmosphere of convenient accommodation, tasty food etc.

One of the main topics of discussion will be how to improve the BSNL services and how to improve the financial viability of the company. The demands of the workers will also  be focussed.

Just like earlier AICs, this is also going to be a historic Conference.

The Circle Conference of BSNLEU was held at Koodal Sangamam, the merger of Rivers Krishna and  Mala Prabha  in Bagalkot District, Bijapur SSA on 11 -12 August 2012. This is the place where the great social reformer of 12th Century,  Basavanna preached and also committed suicide to escape from the high caste Brahmins who chased him for organising a marriage between a dalit and a Brahmin. As the Minister of the King he made many reforms and also initiated free discussion groups, all of which were not digested by the rulers and the priests.

Koodal Sangamam is a beautiful place with the background of the Sangamam of the rivers. The atmosphere was cool and there were showers of rain. But it did not affect the conduct of the Conference. Every thing was arranged well by the Reception Committee headed by Com.GB Salakki AGS and SR Naik, District Secretary.

The Conference was attended by the President and General Secretary of BSNLEU, Coms. Namboodiri and Abhimanyu, who explained the latest position on the issues and the organisational matters.

The discussion by the delegates were mostly based on the issues connected with the expansion and development as also improvement of the financial position of BSNL. The need for providing a better service was pointed out by many. The CGM and other top officers also participated and addressed.

The Conference decided to improve the union membership and called upon the workers to give a better victory to BSNLEU in the next verification!

The Conference unanimously elected Comrade B.P.Narayana as Circle President, C.K.Gundanna as Circle Secretary and Keshav as Circle Treasurere.

Andhra Pradesh Circle union of BSNLEU has always been in the forefront, whether in membership, organisational activity, agitation or in support to the CHQ. Since the 1992 Conference of Circle Union at Eluru, where Com. J.Sampath Rao was elected as the Circle Secretary in a keenly contested election, AP has not looked back. The team of Coms. J.Sampath Rao, Circle Secretary, P.Asokababu, the present Dy. General Secretary and earlier Asst. Circle Secretary and K.Mohan Reddy, Circle President with a lot of active office-bearers and District Secretaries has jumped to the front position in AP years back and there has been no turning back.

It was AP Circle which donated the first car to the CHQ through donations from the members. Whenever there was any need for money, AP circle donated well. It was in AP at Visakhapatnam that the First (Inaugural ) Conference was held in March 2001.

With about 500 Branches and 22 District Unions, AP is again another Circle in the front. Now on the basis of the CHQ call to organise Branch Secretaries’ Convention in preparation for the VI Membership Verification, the same is organised on 3rd and 4th of August at Vijayawada. On 5th there will be a big Reception to Com. P.Asokababu, Dy. GS, who retired from service on 31st July this year.

The Branch Secretaries Convention is being attended by Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri All India President and P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary. The discussion was more than on the issue of the workers, on the issues affecting BSNL and how to improve the services and development.

My Hearty Congratulations to Com.J.Sampath Rao, Circle Secretary and his team of workers for their excellent performance  all these years!