During the meeting with the Chief Labour Commissioner today in connection with the strike issue, I pointed out to him about the inhuman exploitation of the casual and contract labour engaged in BSNL. Though orders have been issued by the government and BSNL corporate office with regard to the minimum wage, EPF, ESI etc. nothing is being implemented at the local levels. In many places the labour who are engaged for years together are being retrenched on the issue that minimum wage is to be paid. There are about 4000 casual labours who are eligible for regularisation, but not yet regularised.

CLC has agreed to meet the  BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation shortly on these issues. Circle Unions of Casual and Contract workers Federation may immediately intimate all details on the above issues either to me or to Comrade Tapas Ghosh, General Secretary in this connection.

The one day strike today, 15th December 2011, by BSNL workers was a magnificent success. Throughout  the country, more than 95% workers participated in this crucial strike. In many circles, all offices including that of CGM was closed without any body attending office. Many CGMs could not attend office. Workers in hundreds demonstrated in front of offices. Thousands of workers held demonstrations in major cities like Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore etc. In Corporate office, Delhi for the first time fthousands of agitated workers demonstrated and almost blocked the entire office. JAC has congratulated the workers for the excellent strike giving a stern warning to the management that if the issues are not settled, there will further struggles including indefinite strike. Reports poured from all circles about maximum participation in the strike. FNTO officially kept away from the strike, but in many places their members joined the strike, well knowing the strike is for genuine demands and that united struggle is of utmost importance.

The Casual and Contract workers all over India as per the call of the BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation fully participated in the strike, despite the fact that their issues were not in the strike notice. They very well understood that unless BSNL exists, their work also will not be there.

The BSNL DOT pensioners as per the call of the All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association participated in the demonstrations and gave solidarity and support  to the strike

We thank both the BSNLCCWF and AIBDPA for their support and solidarity to the strike.

In the corporate office the JAC leaders sat down in front of the CMD’s room expressing the anger of the workers in not settling the issues. CMD came out and invited to discuss the issues. It is to be noted that not even a meeting was called by the CMD earlier on the strike demands. Only Director(HR) met the JAC and discussed without any result. The report from all over India and the huge demonstrations in front of the corporate Office made the CMD to meet the leaders. There was no settlement in the meeting, but it was clear that the management was on the defensive.

The Regional Labour Commissioner called the JAC leaders in the afternoon. JAC leaders told the RLC that since the issue is of an all India nature the meeting is more appropriate in the presence of the Chief Labour Commissioner. Within minutes the Chief Labour Commissioner came on his own. He chided the management representatives for not intimating them about the strike in advance. JAC leaders wanted the DOT officers also in the meeting. Accordingly next meeting has been fixed by the CLC in his office at 1100 hours on 22nd December, when we intimated the CLC that the next meeting of the JAC on 21st December may take further programmes of action including indefinite strike.

In the Parliament questions were given notice of by Comrade Shyamal Chakroborty, Basudebacharya and other leaders, but could not be taken due to the house being adjourned.  However, the Minister was fully aware and it is understood that he had contacted DOT and CLC and enquired why it is not settled. This had  an important impact.

Chennai CGM got 15 comrades arrested in connection with the strike. JAC strongly reacted on the matter with CMD, who took immediate action and the workers were got released.

It is noteworthy that the Central trade Unions like CITU, AITUC as also All India Federations like Confederation of Central Govt. Employees, NFPE, AIIEA, BEFI, AIDEF , AISGEF and others gave solidarity and support. JAC expresses its thanks to all of them.

Dear Comrades, this strike is historic in that it consolidated all section of workers including Executives and Non-Executives and brought the issues on the financial viability of BSNL, the immediate repatriation of ITS officers, Bonus, 78.2% IDA fixation, opposition to VRS, restoration of LTS, encashment of leave, medical allowance etc.

The struggle is not over. It has started with vigour. The meeting of the JAC on 21st December will review the situation and plan the next step to ensure that the demands of the workers are achieved at the earliest.

Once again, congratulation to all workers and comrades! Unity for struggle and Struggle for Unity and Unity and Struggle  for the advancement of the workers is our motto! We shall March ahead, We shall win!

Inquilab Zindabad!

The sustained struggle of the Insurance workers under the leadership of AIIEA against the increase in FDI from 26%  had its result. The Parliamentary Standing Committee examining the Bill moved in the Parliament has recommended that any increase in FDI will endanger the interest of the policy holders and will be a breach of the assurance given by the government in the Parliament earlier that the FDI cap in Insurance  will not be increased.

Congratulations to Insurance workers.

Three and half Lakhs of BSNL workers, executives and Non-Executives will  resort to a complete strike on 15th December 2011 on the very important issues of the BSNL and its workers. The struggle is spear-headed by the Joint Action Committee of BSNL Associations/Unions. BSNLWA headed by NFTE has also joined the strike. The Graduate Engineers Association has given full moral support.  The All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association has declared full support and solidarity to the strike and will participate in the demonstration etc. BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation has called upon their members to go on strike along with regular employees. It is only FNTO which is opposing the strike due to  flimsy  and on parochial grounds. But in many places even members of FNTO will join the strike.

The issues focussed in the strike are most important to the workers and BSNL itself. The Government and the management has utterly failed to settle the issues. Hence the strike.

Make it a complete success. Let it be a warning to the Government and the management. Let them not sleep over the justified issues of the workers. Today or tomorrow they will be compelled to settle the issues due to our struggle. March ahead with confidence.

Parliament Members from Left, AIADMK, Asom Gana Parishad and some other parties strongly protested in the Parliament against the move of the EPF to reduce the interest rate to its subscribers from 9.5% to 8.25%.  In a letter to the government they pointed out that while the bank interests are increasing now and then, how the EPF rate can be reduced? The EPF is part of the social security to the workers and how their hard-earned money can be curtailed by the EPF? They pointed out that EPF is a long-term fixed fund and it should ge given more interest than the regular fixed deposit etc. they wrote.

The government should act immediately and ensure that the EPF rate is increased from 9.5% or at least it should not be reduced.

While the government has been claiming of growth and GDP increase (it is not so also), the rupee has gone down to Rs.53.21 for US dollar.  This is one of the worst hit for rupee. What is the UPA government going to take to save rupee?

The emergent meeting of the Joint Action committee of BSNL Unions/Associations in its meeting today, 13 December 2011, has once again affirmed its historic decision to go on one day strike on 15th December 2011. It called upon all BSNL workers to go on strike making  15th December strike a complete success.

NFTE and its alliance partners have also decided to join the strike.

Though the Expert Committee on Pension has recommended that the minimum pension for all EPF contributors should be Rs. 1000, both the Government as well as the employers are reluctant to implement the same. They want that the workers should contribute more for getting this minimum pension. This is a wrong and impracticable argument.

In many states pension is being given to senior citizens and other categories of people without any contribution at all, as part of the social responsibility of the government.  In the case of workers who contribute to EPF, how can the government take another line. Rs. 1000/- is not much and contribution is also there.

A sensible government have to ensure and implement this genuine demand of the workers without any further delay.

The Unions have given strike notice on the important demands of the workers as well as the company. The responsibility of the management is to discuss and find out ways and means to setle the issues. Instead, it is only requesting the workers to call of the strike citing the financial condition of the company. How the present unviable condition has come. It is only due to the anti-PSU policy of the government and the mismanagement. Workers can not be held responsible for the same.

Denial of the genuine demands of the workers will bring more struggles only. Let he management be positive in settling the issues.

Joint Action Committee of BSNL Associations/Unions  has approached Members of Parliament of various political parties to raise the issues of financial viability of BSNL and the discriminatory attitude of the government to BSNL and MTNL. On behalf of JAC, I have sent detailed notes on the matter to S/Shri Basudev Acharya, Brinda Karat, Tapan Sen (CPIM), Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI), Dr. Sanjeeva Reddy (INC) and other MPs. I have also requested that in connection with the 15th December Strike, the issue may be raised in the Parliament. I hope they will seriously take up the issue with government.