Category Archives: P&T TU Movement

Remembering Com. K.T.Muhammed on his 12th death anniversary ( 29th Sept 1927 – 12th March 2008)

24 Tuesday Mar 2020

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25th March 2020 is the 12th death anniversary of Com.K.T.Muhammed, Bhishmapithamaha or Nataka Kulapathy of drama writers / artists of Kerala. He has written about 40 dramas, including ‘Ithu Bhumiyanu’ (‘This is the earth’), ‘Kandam Becha Kottu'(‘Coat with stitched parts’)etc. He has also written screen plays for a lot of Films. He had his own drama team and club. He was honoured with many awards including Kerala State Film Award for best screen play.

Com. K.T. was an employee of the Posts and Telegraph Department. He first worked as an ED Packer and after passing examinations was promoted to Postmen and then to Postal Clerk. He was very active in the union and participated in all the strikes and struggles organised in P and T. He was suspended for his leading role in the Token Strike of 19th September 1968. He resigned protesting against the anti-worker victimization imposed on the strikers by the government and merged fully himself in writing drama and other cultural activities. But he continued his connection with the P and T Movement and his erstwhile comrades till the last.

I had the fortune to work in the union along with him. Many times visited his drama club. Even when functioning at Delhi, while visiting Kozhikode, I met him more than once at his residence along with late Com. K.Rajan, who was the Convener of the Co-ordinating Committee at that time. Once I gave him a copy of the one page article about him published in the journal of the Postal Union at the time when he was given an International Short Story Award award for his short story ” Kannukal ” (‘The Eyes’) in 1952.
There is a big Statue of Com. K.T.Muhammed installed in his honour in the centre of the Kozhikode Town. But by oversight or so, the name and other particulars are not noted on the statue. We hope the Corporation of Kozhikode will certainly fulfill its responsibility at the earliest.

Red Salute to Com.K.T.Muhammed!

PWD, TELEGRAPHS, P and T, DOT, BSNL, MTNL, VSNL – A LONG JOURNEY

17 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNL, P&T TU Movement, Post, Postal Service, Telecom

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The Telecommunications services in India had a very long journey through the centuries.

Telegraphs was part of the Public Works department in 1951. Separate Department of Telegraphs was opened in 1954. There were one Superintendent in  Delhi and  three Deputy Superintendents at Bombay, Madras and Pegu (Burma) There were Inspectors at Indore, Agra, Cawnpore and Benares.

The Indo-European Telegraph Department ( later Overseas Communications) was administered by a Director-in-Chief from London. This was merged with the Indian Telegraph Department in 1888.

Postal Department was separate. In 1914, on the eve of the II World war, both the Departments were amalgamated and the new Department of Posts and Telegraphs was formed.

Posts and Telegraphs evoked keen interest among the people and also legislators. 152 questions were asked and replied in the Indian Legislative Assembly in 1923-24 alone. Separate accounting procedure was adopted for the four units of the Department viz. Postal, telegraph, telephone and wireless in 1925. During 1930-31 world economic recession, a large number of employees were retrenched. Pay scales were reduced.

P&T Department was set up as a welfare measure and profit was not the motto. 1950 saw a great change with the telephone services, of all the princely states, 196 exchanges,  being merged with the P & T Department. The staff of the princely states in telephones were merged with P&T Department. This was a major step in HRD. There was separate Budget for P and T.

Till 31st December 1984, Posts and Telegraphs was  one Department. However, by that time the separate Budget for P&T was already discontinued. On 1st January 1985, P&T was bifurcated in to two departments ie. Department of Posts and Department of Telecommunications. Telegraphs was part of Telecommunications.

In the 1986, MTNL was formed in carving out the  telecom services of metro cities Delhi and Mumbai as also VSNL was formed by corporatising  Overseas Communications. BSNL was formed in 2000 by corporatising the telecom services allover India, except in Delhi and Mumbai.

In 2020 VRS was implemented resulting in reduction of staff by about 50%. 78569 employees took VRS, leaving less tan that number in BSNL. The case is not different with  MTNL.

Telecom Services in India is completing 170 years. Govt is on the job of privatisation, though the Minister says that it will not be privatised or closed.

The destiny of BSNL  and MTNL now depends on the strength of the trade union movement to fight and defeat the govt’s anti PSU policy.

It is not a question of BSNL alone. It is the future of the entire PSUs that is in peril.

Fight and defeat the anti-worker, anti-PSU policy of the government.

 

 

Com.K.G.Bose remembered

11 Thursday Jul 2019

Posted by in General, Obituary, Tributes, P&T TU Movement, Uncategorized

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7th July 2019 is the 98th birth anniversary of the great revolutionary leader Com.K.G.Bose. He was born in 1921 and passed away at the comparatively  young age of 54, on 11-12-1974.

Com.K.G. Bose is the inspiration of thousands and thousands of Central employees and in particular that of P and T employees. He fought with the government for the rights of the workers and also fought against the revisionism in the organisation. His life and work is a saga of struggle, sacrifice and achievement.

I fondly remember the many times when I got the opportunity to be with him in the Conferences, in tours and in discussions. He was simple and friendly to all.

On his birth anniversary, I pay respectful homage! Red Salute  to Com.K.G.Bose!

Com.S.S.Sen veteran P and T TU leader passed away.

29 Monday Oct 2018

Posted by in Obituary, Tributes, P&T TU Movement

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COM.S.S.SEN, VETERAN P and T LEADER IS NO MORE.
HE PASSED IN BANGALORE ON 27-10-2018 AT 03-30PM . HE WAS 86.
COM.S.S.SEN LONG LIVE.

A Tribute to the veteran leader Com.S.S.Sen, who passed away. He was one of the comrades who were arrested and jailed during Emergency of 1975. Go through the following write up:

“That was the 6th day of November , 1975. Dark days of emergency imposed by Mrs. Indira Gandhi were looming large over democratic movements of our country. One Police Inspector keeping his force outside entered into the then Sub Record Office at Guwahati under RMS “GH” Division and took the chair in front of a young man working there and asked curisoulsy “Are you Mr.—–? with militant posture and uncompromising determination, the man just crossed his fourty, instantly replied “Yes, I am Mr.Sudhendu Sekhar Sen whom you are searching for”.

The Inspector with his regretful expression contended Com.S.S.Sen (popularly known as Sudha Sen) that it was the order from the high echelons of power that was was bound to carry out and for that reason he should not be misunderstood. After completion of all formalities including permission from the Senior Superintendent, Com.S.S.Sen was arrested and taken away to the Guwahati Central Jail.

In the Central Jail were the galaxy of leaders of the P&T Trade Union movement already taken into cusotdy; Com. Bimal Kanti Gupta,CS of E-IV, Com. Jagadindra Bhattachajee, CS, E-IV, Com. Bhudan Chandra Das, CS, P-IV., Com. Hareswar Sharma, CS, P-III, Com.Sankar Kumar Das, CS, E-III, Com. Bhrigu Ram Lahkar, Asstt. CS, P-III and Com.Prabin Chandra Boro, Secretary, P&T LCC, Guwahati.

There in the Central Jail and elsewhere in Assam they had to wait for 15 to 19 months to get released from jail until the emergency was lifted. After the release from the jail also they were not spared. All of them were transferred to the remotest hilly corners of the North Eastern Region, only to be brought back when the Janatha Government came in to power in 1977.

Perhaps this is the unmatched chapter of the history of the trade union movement in the central government employees’ front where as many as 8 (eight) top leaders were put into jail with an intention to crush the democratic trade union movement. Needless to say that second union (FNPTO) in the P&T was formed with the government’s patronage to sabotage the historic 1968 central government employees’ strike.

Government tried to form the union in the NE Region also but could not get in road even after putting the entire top leadership behind the bars.

Rock like unity of the workers at the ground level remained intact throughout the emergency regime and all the jailed leaders were re-elected to their respective positions in the union hierarchy as when the conferences were due and held amidst prevailing situation. These leaders were also amongst the galaxy of leaders of Central including Railways, State, Insurance and Banking sectors who were instrumental in formation of the JOINT COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS, ASSAM in 1973 through a massive convention of workers in Guwahati inaugurated by Com.K.G.Bose and also attended by George Fernadaz, Com. Jagadindra Bhattarcharjee along with Achyut Deka of LIC took the mantle of this joint forum as first Joint Conveners. Later on the JCTU, Assam withstood the test of time and created may histories in the trade union movement in Assam.That legacy has still been continued.

In the early 1990’s also Regional Coordination Committee of P&T employees Unions (NFPE), North East Region with Com.S.S.Sen as Convener again made the history by organizing the longest ever successfull strike of the white colour employees in the history of India demanding Special Duty Allowance (SDA). The strike started on November 15, 1991 under the leadership of RCC of P&T Employees Unions, NE Region to end the discrimination by implementing Court Judgement. The entire RCC leadershp including Co.S.S.Sen, Com.J.Bhattacharjee, Com.R.P.Sharma, \Com. Sasadhar Deb, Com.B.C.Das, Com.S.K.Das, Com.M.R.Das, Com.J.N.Mishraexhibited the exemplary leadership quality to continue the strike with tactical perfectness and extreme patience. No door of any Post Office and RMS office was opened for long 38 days upto 22nd December, 1991 until an agreement was signed between NFPE and the Department of Posts in the presence of Minister of Communications . Subsequently the discrimination was ended and SDA was granted to all the CG Employees of NE Region irrespective of transfer liabilities”.

RED SALUTE TO COM.S.S.SEN

WE VOW TO CARRY FORWARD THIS LEGACY …

(Courtesy: Confederation website)

Telecom Trade Union Movement – A Saga of Struggles, Sacrifices and Achievements (5) – Grand Reception at Delhi

09 Thursday Aug 2018

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It was a great surprise! We were thinking of silently going to Dada Ghosh Bhawan. But lo! there were hundreds of P and T employees waiting for us in the New Delhi Railway Station. But they were not OPG’s men opposing us. They were comrades who were happy at our election and have come in large numbers to receive us at the railway Station. The P and T comrades under the leadership of Comrades K.Adinarayana, Secretary General NFPE,  P.S.Raman Kutty, GS T.III, N.M.S.Rao, AGS R.III Union etc. were waiting for some time and as soon as we stepped down from the train they started shouting slogans  welcoming us and garlanding both of us. It seemed that they were more happy  that O.P.Gupta was defeated which nobody expected was feasible. We were taken as giant killers. There were no supporters of OPG.

A meeting was held at the RMS office premises in the railway station and the leaders welcomed us and we also spoke. The leaders and workers extended all help in our functioning at CHQ, Delhi. It was a great relief.

After safely placing all the records including the ballot papers etc. at  the ITEF office, we reached Dada Ghosh Bhawan, the CHQ of E.III Union. We did not face any problem there, as was feared. O.P.Gupta welcomed us and arranged our stay, though temporarily. He told us that since he is no more General Secretary of the Union, his residence will be shifted within one month and Moni Bose, the new General Secretary can occupy the same. Union charge was handed over to Moni Bose. He handed over the old car also. A small kitchen was arranged for the new General Secretary. Its expense, about Rs. 30,000 was to be handed over to him. (In fact, neither did Gupta hand over the quarters to Moni Bose, nor hand over the accounts and other records. He stayed there continuously for a very long time and planned conspiracies and with   the connivance of the government split the organisation. All about that later.)

OPG handed over the list of new office bearers with Coms. Moni Bose as General Secretary to the Secretary, DOT and introduced him. Both  VAN and Moni Bose started functioning from Dada Ghosh Bhawan.

Central Secretariat meets.

The meeting of the central secretariat of the union was held within days presided over by President V.A.N.Namboodiri. Asst. General Secretaries elected from OPG’s panel, Com. S.Jagannathan and R.K.Kohli were also present. Head Quarters Allowance of a nominal amount of Rs. 350 was allowed both to General Secretary and Asst. General Secretary (RK Kohli). Immediate tasks to be attended to were finalised. CHQ started functioning in right earnest.

Conspiracy

While all these were going on, a deep conspiracy was being hatched behind. Com. Raghubir Singh, Chairman of FNTO, Leader of the Staff Side of the Joint Consultative Machinery and a close friend O.P.Gupta gave a letter to the DOT stating that Moni Bose can not be accepted and recognised as General Secretary, since he was a terminated employee in connection with the proposed strike of 1949. The letter was typed in the Letter Head of the JCM, of which O.P.Gupta was the Secretary, Staff Side. This was handed over by R.K.Kohli to the Secretary, DOT. This was a well planned operation. Letter was received within two days from the DOT by Moni Bose that a terminated employee can not be accepted as General Secretary and that President V.A.N. Namboodiri is authorised to do the correspondence etc. The conspiracy of OP Gupta – Raghubir Singh – DOT  was totally exposed.

It became clear that OPG was not prepared to accept the democratically elected leadership at Bhopal AIC. May be there was strong pressure from his senior comrades also, who were afraid of their own position. The stand of the DOT was ridiculous. The same department which had recognised O.P.Gupta, who never worked in the Department, as General Secretary for more than three and half decades was objecting to a person who had worked in the Department and was terminated without even a show cause notice for alleged participation in a strike, which never happened. How surprising are the ways of the administration to help a favourite.

Though withdrawn recognition, Moni Bose continued his regular functioning at CHQ. For correspondence and dealing with the department V.A.N.Namboodiri President also stayed at Delhi to assist Moni Bose. There was no other way to safeguard the organisation. It was the starting of a continuous stay at Delhi for long 25 years.

At the unjustified rejection of recognition as General Secretary, Moni Bose filed a case in Calcutta High Court through eminent Parliamentarian and Senior Advocate Com. Somnath Chatterjee, who later became the Hon’ble Speaker of the Parliament. (To be continued)

A Saga of Struggles, Sacrifices and Achievements (2) – Bhopal All India Conference, Start of A New Era.

17 Tuesday Jul 2018

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The All India conference of All India Telecom Employees Union Class III, the biggest affiliated union of National Federation of Telecom Employees (NFTE), was held at Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, from 24th to 29th October 1991. Along with our comrades from Calicut (Kozhikode), where I was working at the time, we started two days in advance so as to tour the nearby places as also to meet the delegates in advance to discuss organisational matters. Comrades M.Balasubramaniam, wife Rojana, V.Nalini, M.V.Sadanandan, P.V.Nambissan, K.Damodaran, C.P.Sadanandan, Radhakrishnan, my wife Pankajam and many other comrades were with me. It was a two day journey by train and after reaching Bhopal Railway Station, we stayed at a nearby hotel as the Reception Committee had not yet arranged the accommodation etc.
The two days before the AIC was utilised to meet the delegates coming by train and discussing with them about the organisational issues, mainly the support being given by Com. O.P.Gupta, General Secretary of the union to the anti-working class policies of the government as also the anti-democratic functioning of the union itself. Many comrades agreed with our opinion.
In between, we also found time to visit the ancient caves nearby, the famous mosque in the city etc.
The AIC was being arranged by constructing a very big pandal in the extensive maidan, New Dasra. Though there were provisions in the constitution of the union for the number of delegates to the AIC, the convention was that all those who came and remitted the delegates fee were accommodated as delegates.
There were about 3,000 delegates including a large number of women. Many have come with family and were interested to visit places of attraction, even when the proceedings are in progress. Only about half of the delegates will be present most of the time, while others are either in the dining hall for taking breakfast/lunch/dinner, or were out for sight-seeing. Families will sit there one day or so and then leave the place. There was enough scope for doubt that this kind of situation was created purposely to avoid any serous discussion in the AIC.
However, there used to be serious discussions, debates and fight on the issues, the organisational matters and agitations. There used to be bitter fight on the policy to be adopted in settling the issues of the workers. The inner struggle was always there in E.III Union. This is what happened in the Bhopal AIC also.
The Conference was presided over by Comrade Homi Daji, M.P., President of the union. It was the convention of most of the unions in NFPTE from the start to elect a Member of Parliament to be the President. Many were the top T.U. leaders and M.P.s who were Presidents of the unions. Comrades S.M.Banerjee, Mahesh Dutt Mishra, N.K.Bhatt, Subhadra Joshi, S.B.Das, Homi Daji were some of them. One reason was that these leaders could raise many of the issues in the Parliament and focus them for settlement. This was stopped by the government later, but still certain unions continued the system for some more time.
Comrade Homi Daji was the General Secretary / President of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and was elected more than once to the parliament from the Indore constituency in Madhya Pradesh. He used to preside in the AIC from the first to the last, instead of a token presence only.
Open Session
The open session was held in the main pandal, which was attended by about 5000 including the delegates and public. Chairman, Telecom Commission H.V.Wagle, Advisor (HRD) V.Rajagopalan, CGM M.P. D.K.Gupta, GS T.3 Union P.S.Raman Kutty, GS Line Staff Union Chandrasekhar, GS RMS – 3 Union N.M.S.Rao, GS T.IV Union Sagir Mohammed and other leaders addressed.
(to be continued)

Book on Historical One Day Token Strike of 19th September 1968.

12 Thursday Jul 2018

Posted by in CG Employees, P&T TU Movement

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The One Day Token Strike of Central Government Employees on 19th September 1968 was historic in all aspects, the demands, the huge participation, the draconian punishments, arrests, dismissals, terminations and so on. Striking workers were killed by gun shots as also by running train over the picketers – the eternal martyrs. The fight against victimisation was a saga of determination and tenacity to ensure that each and every dismissed / terminated worker is reinstated.

19th September 2018 is the 50th anniversary of this mighty struggle of lakhs of workers. I am writing a book on the One day Historic Strike to be released on 19th September. There were 290 comrades terminated in P and T in Kerala alone. I would request our comrades in Kerala, who have got some information about the strike in their towns/cities/area like participation in the strike, victimisation, fight against victimisation etc. to kindly send to me so that those incidents can also be included. Photographs, if any, in connection with the strike, including the photoes of the leaders may kindly be send to the following address;

V.A.N.Namboodiri, S-8, Alhind Elite Apartments, P.O. Nadakkav Kozhikode – 673011. Mob: 9868231431 E-mail: van.namboodiri@gmail.com

Thanks to all.

Homage to Com.N.J.Iyer and Com.S.K.Vyas

12 Monday Feb 2018

Posted by in CG Employees, Obituary, Tributes, P&T TU Movement

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13th February is the death anniversary of two great leaders of the Central Government and P and T employees.

It was on this day in 2000 that Com.N.J.Iyer, the indomitable fighter for the cause of P and T and Central employees, left us forever.

It was on this day again, in 2015 that Com. S.K.Vyas, the legendary  leader of the Central government employees passed away.

Both of them were unparalleled fighters who led several struggles of the CG employees and achieved many results.

I had the fortune to be guided by them in my TU activities.  I came in touch with both of them after the 1968 historical strike and especially during the inhuman victimisation of the workers who went on strike. Whenever I went to Delhi, I got one free meal from Com. Iyer and staying place by Com. S.K.Vyas at the Confederation Office premises. I avoided  going to Dada Ghosh Bhawan, the CHQ of E.III since there was constant fight on the question of policies to be adopted and action organised with GS Com. O.P.Gupta.

After I shifted to Delhi in 1991 consequent to being elected as the President of E.3 Union (affiliated to NFPTE) there was constant touch and interaction with both of them, Com. Iyer as the GS of R.III Union and Com. Vyas as the SG Confederation. I still remember the confidence shown  by Com. Iyer, by handing over the valuable original typed copy of the Article by Com.Dada Ghosh  on ‘Origin of P&T Trade union movement’ which after getting typed a fresh copy, was returned to him.

Both were leaders with great vision  served the workers in very difficult situations. Their lifestyle was the simplest. Both prepared their own food and served others when there were visitors. Vyasji used to come to Delhi by Bus from Rajasthan and after getting down from the bus walked about one kilo meter to reach Confederation office opposite Sir Gangaram Hospital, till the last days. Iyer was not different. The image of Com. Iyer marching with a red cap in his head,  ahead of  thousands of P&T workers through the streets of Delhi after the P&T Convention in 1972, from West Patel Nagar to Boat Club near Central Secretariat for many kilometers, as the commander of an army  still inspires me. It was also noteworthy that the Communications Minister Shri H.N.Bahuguna,  came to the Raisina Junction and received the memorandum, instead of waiting  in his office for the delegation to come.

They were giants of the Trade Union movement who guided the workers at the most difficult times and showed the correct path to the future generations.

Red Salute to Com. N.J.Iyer and Com.S.K.Vyas on their death anniversary!

 

Release of Book “P and T Trade Union Movement” by Com. Tapan Sen, M.P., GS CITU

11 Saturday Nov 2017

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” The P and T Trade Union Movement” written by V.A.N.Namboodiri and published by NFPE was released on 6th August 2017 by Com. Tapan Sen,M.P.., General Secretary, CITU at the All India Conference of AIPEU Class III at Bengaluru. Com.M.Krishnan, Secretary General Confederation of  CG Employees and Workers, Com. R.N.Parashar, Secretary General NFPE, Com.C.C.Pillai former SG NFPE, Com.K.Rahavendran, former SG NFPE, Com.K.V.Sreedharan, former GS P.III and  other all India leaders were present. The book is having a forward by Com. A.K.Padmanabhan, Vice-President, CITU.

The book contains the history of the P and T Trade Union movement since 1900, the formation of the various unions, formation of UPTW, NFPTE as also the detailed report on the historical strikes of 1908, 1919, 1946, 1960, 1974, 1984 etc. and upto the bifurcation of the Department in to Postal and Telecom and the consequent bifurcation of NFPTE in to NFPE and NFTE.

Revolutionary Greetings on 19th September Strike Anniversary!

19 Tuesday Sep 2017

Posted by in BSNLEU, CG Employees, P&T TU Movement

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On this 49th Anniversary of the Historic One Day Strike of 19th September 1968 by the CG employees and workers, my Warm Greetings to all of our senior comrades who participated in the strike and also to all comrades, friends and well wishers of the CG and BSNL employees!.

This is a day to remember our glorious past and to pledge ourselves to the great tasks that are before us.

On this day, we remember and pay homage to the great martyrs who sacrificed their valuable lives in the cause of the working class!