The massive meeting of the casual and contract workers of Haryana at Hissar on 5th June was a clear indication of the determination to fight against injustice and get the rights of the casual/contract workers in BSNL got settled. Along with Circle Secretary of BSNLEU Comrade M.S.Kadian, Circle President Naresh Kumar and Hari Om Sharma i reached Hissar to attend the meeting. The workers told that they are not getting the minimum wage. Neither the social security measures like EPF, ESI are implemented. Much exploitation is going on.
In my speech I explained the rights of the casual and contract workers and the government orders and BSNL orders in these respects. However, these orders are not being implemented at the local levels. I conveyed my support and solidarity to the struggles of the workers. More than 200 comrades participated in the meeting.

The Central Joint Council of Action of the Postal workers have decided to go for an indefinite strike with effect from 5th July 2011 on their long pending demands. One of the main demands is that there should be no closure/merger of Post Offices, RMS and Sorting offices. It is also demanded that there should be no private franchise. Many other demands are also there. The Postal workers are fully justified for going on strike.
The telecom workers should fully support and give solidarity to the struggle.

For demanding payment of minimum wage as also implementation of social security measures like EPF and ESI, all the contract labours numbering 309, engaged in Jorhat SSA in Assam have been retrenched.
These contract labours are working for 10 to 20 years, some of them even as casual labours earlier. They were continuously engaged since there was work. But they were being paid from Rs. 1000 to Rs. 2500 only, whereas the minimum wages ordered by the Government of India Notification and orders of BSNL Corporate office, including the DA will come up to Rs. 4500 or more. When the BSNL Casual & Contract Workers Federation submitted a petition to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, a list of the contract workers in Jorhat along with the wages being paid, non-implementation of social security measures etc. was enclosed as part of the annexure. The Parliamentary Committee forwarded this to the BSNL C.O. which forwarded to the CGM Assam who forwarded the same to the GM Jorhat seeking explanation why minimum wage is not being paid and why there are so many contract workers engaged?
As a revenge upon being exposed and compelled to give explanation, the GM Jorhat has immediately retrenched all the 309 workers, who were continuing for the last so many years. This is only victimisation against the labour when the violation of the rules and orders have been brought to the notice of the higher authorities. If there was no work, why all these have been engaged for years. The fact is that the chance for exploitation is gone when the minimum wage is being compelled to pay and that is why there poor labour are targeted. 309 families have lost their meagre earning because of the revengeful action by a bureaucrat. Of course the BSNLEU and BSNL CCWF are on agitational path to get these labour got reinstated.
All the workers and their unions/Associations in one voice should condemn such revengeful action and ensure that the retrenched workers are got reinstated.