The Telemessage, one of the monthly journals of BSNL Employees Union, with the May 2012 issue has become a part of  history. It was the last issue of the Telemessage, as the CEC of the Union has decided to discontinue the same, considering many factors including  that with the use of  website, email and also the two other monthly journals, the communications with the members can well be undertaken.

The Telemessage was started in 2001 by the then AITE Union Class III (N), handed over to BSNL Employees Union and has been published without any interruption till now. It has helped us in our growth, has been utilised by the workers and was appreciated.  We will certainly miss ‘Telemessage’. Good-bye Telemessage!

The next All India Conference of BSNL Employees Union is scheduled to be held at Ludhiana from 25th to 28th September 2012. Reception Committee for the conduct of the Conference has been already formed and the work has started seriously months back.  Yesterday, on 27th March, the logo of the Conference has been finalised and will be released after consultation with the CHQ. Collection of funds is also going on in full swing. You can be sure that the AIC will be organised in a splendid way.

Congratulations to Coms. R.L.Moudgil, President and Balbir Singh, Circle Secretary !

Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, JAC and President, BSNLEU, met Shri R.K.Upadhyay, CMD BSNL today, 28^th March and discussed about the progress in the procurement of equipments and other connected matters. CMD informed that the Advance Purchasing Order for 15.5 million lines will be finalised by the end of this month and that APC for  4 lakh  broadband modem has already been issued on 19^th March.. When pointed out that this is too insufficient, he informed that additional modems will also be ordered according to the requirement.

He congratulated the Kerala Circle and its workers for the excellent performance and the comparative better revenue.

Com.Namboodiri demanded that the regularisation of the left out casual labours coming to about 4,000, including 2270 from W.Bengal alone, be regularised at the earliest  as has been done in the case of other government departments and PSUs. He assured to look in to the matter.

As usual the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the DOT and BSNL has been signed with the targets, action plan etc. for the year 2012-13.

One of the proposal is to retrench 15% of the staff through VRS. As on 31-12-2011, the staff is 2.71 lakhs. Hence the 15% will come to 40,650. This means the DOT/BSNL themselves have halved their target of sending out one lakh workers. It is also under consideration for grant of a loan of Rs. 15,000 by DOT to BSNL, which may probably for this purpose only.

Indeed, the government is not prepared to give money for development and expansion, but is prepared to give for retrenching  workers ! But the BSNLEU will resist the move with all its strength and defeat the same as earlier.

There are many comrades who have donated Rs. 10,000, Rs. 5,000 etc. to the Building Fund from their own pocket in addition to the collection from the members. It is their commitment and dedication to the union. But here is a special case. Com. Mihir Dasgupta former Asst. General Secretary (CHQ), BSNLEU has donated Rs. 50,000 to the Building Fund. He gave Rs. 25,000 at the time of the AIC at Thiruvananthapuram then and there when it was decided to purchase a building. He donated another Rs. 25,000 at the time of his retirement. His wife, Com.Swastika Das, who is also one of the senior leaders of Kolkatta Telephones, donated another Rs. 10,000. Together, they have donated Rs. 60,000.

My Hearty Congratulations and thanks to these comrades for your full support and liberal donation to this great cause.

On this 22nd March, KG Bose Bhawan, the new office building of the BSNL Employees Union was inaugurated by Com. A.K.Padmnabhan, President  CITU by unveiling the name-plate, cutting the ribbon and entering the building in the presence of distinguished guests like Com. Mohammed Amin, CITU Vice-President, Sudha Sunderaraman, General Secretary AIDWA and other senior leaders. In his inaugural speech he congratulated the union and its leaders for the great achievement. Com. P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU,  welcomed all. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, president of the meeting, after welcoming all the participants, mentioned the decision of the Thiruvananthapuram All India Conference to purchase a building for the union, which has been fulfilled within a short period of two years.  It could be done with the full support of the union members and well-wishers who have liberally contributed to the building fund. Maximum efforts have been taken by most of the Circle/District Secretaries for collection of donations.  I would like to congratulate and thank Com. Mihir Dasgupta, former AGS, BSNLEU, who personally donated Rs. 50,000 to the building fund. In addition, his wife Com.Swastika also donated Rs. 10,000 on her own.  The building has been named as ‘K.G.Bose Bhawan’, in honour and memory of our beloved leader and guide Comrade K.G.Bose, who gave  correct direction and working class ideology to the P&T movement. A booklet on the life and activities of Com.KG written by Com.VAN Namboodiri was released in the function and supplied to all participants.

After the inauguration and greetings by leaders of the fraternal organisations, the meeting ended and lunch was offered to all. Many of the leaders and workers went through the building, appreciated and congratulated the Union.

Coms.M.Krishnan, SG, NFPE was present and addressed along with Coms. Sreedharan (P.III), Giriraj Singh( RMS), Des Raj Sharma, C.C.Pillai (former SG NFPE), Nagabhushanam, Ishwar Dabbas and others. Com.M.S.Raja(Secretary, Confederation) also addressed.  Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA also addressed. Almost all the senior leaders of the BSNL Unions were present in the function. Coms/ Shri Chandeswar Singh (NFTE), K.Vallinayagam (FNTO), G.L.Jogi (SNEA),  Ravindranath (AIBSNLEA), Suresh Kumar (BSNLMS), V.Subburaman(TEPU), R.K.Kohli (NFTBE), B.R.Jhakkatia (SEWA BSNL), Andiappan (FNTBEA), S.P.Sharma (BSNLWRU), Hari Singh (BTU BSNL), A.A.Khan, Sebastian, ND Ram, S.S.Tomar and many other leaders and workers of other unions were present and all of them greeted and congratulated BSNLEU. Senior leader, Com. O.P.Gupta, despite his ailment and old age, also came and conveyed his best wishes. It was a poignant moment when Com.OPG put a shawl on V.A.N.Namboodiri, President of BSNL Employees Union. We are thankful to all these comrades for attending the function and giving us blessings. We also thank the CITU and AIDWA leaders and workers who attended the function. Greetings were received from Coms. Sisir Bhattacharjee, the veteran P&T leader, Ananta Kumar Bhattacharjee (Prsident AIBDPA), Mrs. Parul Bose (wife of Com.KG),Mrs. Jyotsna Bose (wife of Com.Moni Bose), Pabitra Chakroborty (NCCPA), Com.P.V.Chandrasekharan ( President AIBDPA Kerala) and others.

The Central Secretariat of BSNLEU has been fully occupied with the arrangements for the last few days. The staff of Dada Ghosh Bhawan, Coms. T.A.Biju, Pradeesh, Harish, M.L.Tiwari, Baiju, Negi – all have done their best to make the function a great success. But two names have to be mentioned specially, that of coms. G.B.Salakki and  T.A.Biju, who was fully engaged with the work, day and night. We thank al of them for making all the arrangements.

And thanks to Shri Surinder Singhji and his family, the former owner of the building, who came and addressed the function.

The Central Executive Committee of BSNL Employees Union held at New Delhi on 22nd and 23rd March has decided to continue sustained agitation for settlement of the immediate issues of the workers and also to unite the entire telecom workers to save BSNL.

The CEC was presided by Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, the President of the Union. The report presented by the General Secretary, Com. P.Abhimanyu was adopted with certain amendments. The house stood in silence paying homages to the revolutionary martyrs Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukh Dev who were hanged by the British on 23rd March 1932.

The CEC decided to continue observation of the Customer Delight Movement which started in April last year. It decided to make all out efforts for the settlement of the issue of the casual and contract workers as also the issues of Pensioners. The All India conference will be held at Ludhiana (Punjab) from 25th to 28th September 2012. ( Details of the CEC will be put in the BSNLEU website).

With much enthusiasm , the Central Executive Committee meeting of the BSNLEU started today, 22nd March. I, as President of the union presided and Com.PAbhimanyu presented the report in the committee.Discussion on the report has started. (to be continued)

KG Bose Bhawan, the CHQ building of BSNL Employees Union has been inaugurated by Com. A.K.Padmanabhan, President, CITU in a largely attended meeting at West Patel Nagar, somewhat near to  Dada Ghosh Bhawan. Coms. Mohamed Amin, Vice-President, CITU, Sudha Sundararaman, General Secretary, AIDWA, M.Krishnan, SG, NFPE, M.S.Raja (Confederation), O.P.Gupta,  Chandeswar Singh (NFTE), G.L.Jogi,(SNEA), K.Vallinayagam (FNTO), Ravindranath (AIBSNLEA),Sureshkumar( BSNLMS), V.Subburaman(TEPU), R.K.Kohli (NFTBE), Andiappan (FNTBE), Hari Singh (BTU BSNL), B.R.Jhakkatia (SEWA BSNL), S.P.Sharma (BSNLWRU)  and other leaders addressed. The function was inspiring. Every greeted and congratulated BSNLEU for the achievement.

One of our dreams has been fulfilled. Now we have our own building at Delhi for the CHQ Office.