BEST WISHES FOR HAPPY AND PLEASANT  XMAS TO ALL OUR VIEWERS!

15 unions are contesting in the verification. But the main contenders are the alliances led by BSNLEU, NFTE and NUBSNLW(FNTO).

The total number of voters are 2,29,906. The total voters in IV verification was 2,47,757.  There are 17,851 less voters this time. The maximum number of voters is in A.P.Circle – 25,488 followed by Maharashtra – 22,605. The lowest number of voters is in T&D Jabalpur – 59 followed by BRBRAITT Jabalpur – 110. There are 2270 polling booths now  compared to 2305 last time.

The passing of strict austerity measures by the Greek Parliament has been strongly protested by the 2 biggest unions in the country. In order to cut the fiscal deficit, the Parliament is continuing the austerity measures as also additional austerity measures reducing the government expenditure which adversely affect the workers. On 23rd December, the workers staged a 3 hour walk-out. The Transport workers organised the fourth 24 hours strike within this month. The protest is continuing.

The price of 1 kg onion has gone up to Rs.80!In many vegetable markets onion is not available. Onion is one of the main ingredients of the food of Indians and it had become scarce. The Government is simply sitting and doing nothing to ameliorate the misery of the people

A new union has been formed for BSNL Non-Executives under the leadership of Coms. R.K.Kohli and N.T.Sajwani ( Secretary General and Dy. Secretary General respectively )by name National Federation of Telecom-BSNL Employees (NFTBE). The two above, who were  top leaders of NFTE have left the same and formed the new union. It is expected that they may join the United Forum, which is the alliance with BSNL Employees Union. Since the union has been registered recently it is not eligible to apply for participation in the present membership verification.

The final list of applicant unions for the membership verification in BSNL for grant of recognition has been issued along with their election symbols. None of the 15 applicant unions have withdrawn from the contest. But the main contenders are only three- BSNLEU, NFTE and NUBSNLW(FNTO). Each of these unions has some alliance unions also with them. BSNLEU’s symbol is Cell Phone. It was its symbol since second membership verification.

BSNLEU (United Forum) has won the elections in all the last three verifications. It alone has a got a membership of more than 1,30,000 out of the total voters of about 2,40,000. In addition it has got the support of 5-6 unions, which are to be finalised soon. The moot  question is not which union will win, but how much majority BSNLEU will get. Last time it got 53% of polled votes. Whether it can garner 60% this time. At leaset we have to achieve this target.

On 20th December 2010, I have been to Raipur to attend a massive meeting of BSNL Employees being held to discuss about the membership verification. I had arrived at Raipur from Bhubaneswar  and before starting of the meeting our comrades took  me to the Coffee House to have breakfast. The coffee-house was accommodated in the newly built Government Rest House complex and was well maintained. I asked our comrades Atma Pujya, Circle Secretary and Dawle, a senior leader of BSNLEU  who were with me, whether they know about the origin of the present Coffee Houses throughout the country. They did not know. I told them the inspiring story.

Coffee houses were being run by the Coffee Board under the Government of India. It was intended to provide good coffee at cheap rates. But when losses occurred, Coffee Board decided to wind up the coffee houses. The result will be that  a lot of workers will become jobless. The workers went to Com. A.K.Gopalan, the veteran Militant trade union leader, who at that time was a Member of the Parliament. Comrade AKG immediately took up the matter with the Government and proposed that the coffee houses be handed over to the workers who will run them on co-operative basis.  Com. AKG’s persuasion prevailed and the government accepted the proposal. That is how the present Coffee Houses started. They are run by Co-operative societies where all the workers are shareholders. It is being run in almost every city in a very good way. And the prices are comparatively cheap. You get not only coffee but idli, dosa, roti etc.etc. as also meals in some places.

In most of the coffee houses you can see the photo of Com. AKG, who ensured job and  life to thousands of workers.

It is on the death anniversary of this legendary working class leader  ie. 22nd March, that BSNL Employees Union was formed in 2001 at Visakhapatnam.

The workers are the first casualty in any industrial accident. The latest is that two workers, a chemist and a contract worker in the Dr. Reddy’s Laboratory located in Medak, Andhra Pradesh has succumbed to a gas leak in the factory. They were on night duty when the accident happened. It will be clear only when the inquiry is over to what resulted in the accident. However, there is every chance that there might have been criminal  negligence on the part of the management as is usual.

It is reported that many sensitive files connected with the tenders, contract, budget etc are missing from the Commonwealth Games Committee office. It is the usual method through which the big fish escapes. The nexus of the big business, politicians and bureaucrats ensure that they are never caught. The CBI is reported to have stated that there seems to be criminal conspiracy to destroy these files or to tamper them. Whether the Government will act! It is doubtful when its own top leaders are involved.

United Forum of BSNL Unions will meet on 24th December 2010 to finalise the alliance and strategy  for the Fifth Membership Verification. United Forum has won in the last three verifications each time with more than 50% of polled votes and this time also the result will not be different. Except SNATTA and BTU which left, all other alliance partners are standing together. Some other unions are expected to join the UF shortly.

The UF is sure that the workers will vote for it for the achievements it