The meeting at Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, in connection with the Membership Verification in BSNL, on 21st March 2016 was attended by a large number of employees, more than 300. Com. A.Unnikrishnan Nair, District President, BSNLEU presided. Com.R.S.Binny, Dist. Secretary welcomed all the participants.

The verification convention was addressed by Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Patron, BSNLEU, P.Asokababu, Vice-President, CHQ, M.Krishnan, Secretary General, Confederation of CG Employees, P.V.Chandrasekharan, Patronn AIBDPA, Vijayakumar, Org. Secretary, CHQ, S.Pratap Kumar, AGS, CHQ, R.Muralidharan Nair, former AGS, CHQ, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle president, K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, Gopa Kumar, Circle Vice-President, BSNLEU, N.Vikraman Nair, DS, AIBDPA, C.Vamadevan, DS, CCLU, Biju Raghavan, DS, GM(O)  and other leaders.

Com. P.Asokababu spoke in detail on the demands achieved, issues being taken up and the importance of the present verification etc. The house assured the leaders that Thiruvananthapuram SSA will make considerable increase in votes from the last verification and ensure about 75% support base.

The massively attended meeting of BSNL employees held at Telecom Factory, Mumbai today, 15 March 2016 has assured the CHQ leadership that they will fully support BSNLEU in the VII membership verification and will get majority  in Telecom Factory, Mumbai and increase from last verification position.
Com.S.A.Tendulkar, Circle President presided and Com. S.D.Choudhary, Circle Secretary, TF Mumbai welcomed.  All the CHQ leaders present were received by garlanding and presenting shawls. Retired senior comrades were also fecilitated.
Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Patron, Animesh Mitra, Vice-President, Nagesh Nalwade, Circle Secretary Maharashtra,   Balachandra Mane, V.Parande and other leaders addressed. They spoke about the need  to provide better service to the people, the achivements made by BSNLEU, the immediate demands like wage revision, end to stag ation, Five years promotion, the issues of new recruitees, contract workers etc.
The issues of Telecom factories were also focussed.
The workers were fully convinced about the important role of BSNLEU and assured full support in the verification.
The meeting honoured retired senior comrades P.R.Shinde, S.M.Jadhdav and Y.S.Nagre.

Today, 14th March 2016 is the 133th death anniversary of Karl Marx, the greatest ever philospher and co-author of Communist Manifesto. Marx was not only a philosopher and writer but also was an activist of what he preached.

I remember now my visits to the cemetary where he was cremated and where his memorial stands as also the Marx Memorial Library in London. His memory is always an inspiration.

Marx will ever be remembered for his contribution bt the working class.

Present written history mainly deals  with males. What about ‘Her Story’?

The casual and contract workers in BSNL are in struggle through out the country for getting implemented the law of the land  with regard to minimum wage, EPF, ESI and other social security measures. Brutal exploitation is taking place. Agitating workers are being retrenched inhumanly.
It is the time to assist and support them. They are your co-workers and comrades and need your active help. Do not fail them.
Join the fight against injustice!

Vijay Mallya, M.P. , liquor baron and ownner Kingfisher, with compalints against him, leaves the country unchallenged. Beedi baron, convicted criminal, Nisham, gets king’s treatment in Jail and dines at top hotel attended by police.
Money and power seems to be stronger than law and justice. Law tilts towards the rich and powerful. It should stop.

‘Judiciary faces credibility crisis’ stated Chief Justice T.S.Thakur yesterday, in another context, while inaugurating the 150th anniversary of Allahabad High Court. The same is applicable in the above instances also.

Railways always declares that senior citizens will be provided with lower berths as far as possible. But my experience is some what different. Although I always opt for Lower Berth when boooking, most of the times I get upper only. Today is not different. And in the train, I can see many lower berths allotted to youngsters while women and old people have to climb up. The railways should revisit their reservation system.

What should be the Minimum Wage? The 11 Central Trade Unions have demanded the government that Rs. 18,000 should be the minimum wage for contract workers. It is based on the recommendations of the VII CPC which has calculated Rs. 18,000 as the lowest wage.
BSNL Contract workers also should get this minimum wage.

BSNLEU, the pride of BSNL employees, will be completing 15 years of its fruitful existence on 22March 2016. Formed on 22 March 2001 at Visakhapatnam by merging 7 existing telecom unions in a National Convention attended by thousands of workers, BSNL Employees Union had lived up to the expectations of the workers. The struggles it has waged for the workers and the achievements are many. It has always taken a progressive line for the cause of the workers.
BSNLEU  CEC held at Ahmednagar last  month has decided to celebrate its 15th anmiversary in a big way. Ensure that the celebrations are effectively organised with massive participation.

The Railways’ decision to use nice blankets  and wash them after every use is welcome. Using the used blankets was not healthy and was also repulsive.