Meeting of the Joint Action Committee of BSNL Unions & Associations held on 22nd November has called upon the entire three lakh executive and Non-Executive employees to organise a mighty three days strike from 1st to 3rd December to defend BSNL and for ensuring their most important demands. Mighty propaganda should be unleashed amongst the workers and the common people.  Massive demonstrations in front of  thousands of BSNL offices/exchanges will be organised  on 29th November in preparation for the 3 days strike.

Despite justified demands from the opposition parties and complete disruption of Parliament for one week, why is it that the Government is still adamant in denying a JPC probe in the 2G Scam, the biggest scam the country has seen since Independance? Why is that criminal proceedings are not taken against the guilty? What and who are the skeltons in the cup board? The country demands the answers and remedial actions.

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) will be introduced in Haryana Circle from 25th November 2010 as per DOT. MNP will enable a subscriber of a telecom company to switch over to another company retaining his original number. Eight telcos are providing services in Haryana viz.BSNL, Airtel, Idea, Aircel, Loop, Vodafone, Etisalat DB and Videocon.

The agitational programmes decided by BSNLEU & BSNLC&CWF,  West Bengal with effect from 18th November 2010 have been deferred after the discussions with CMD BSNL and Sr.GM(Estt) on 16th November 2010.  Coms. VAN Namboodiri, President BSNLEU & BSNLC&CWF, P.Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU, Tapas Ghosh, SG BSNLC&CWF, P.Asokababu, Dy.GS, BSNLEU and Animesh Mitra, CS, WB, BSNLEU participated in the discussions.

The Delhi High Court has asked the Railways to reconsider its decision rejecting pension to the widow of a railway casual worker.

The worker was recruited as a casual labour and then given Temporary Status. He could not be regularised due to lack of vacancy. In the meantime he died while in service. His widow’s application for pension was rejected by the Railways. The Tribunal to which she petitioned asked the Railways to re-consider the case.But instead of granting pension, Railways went to High Court on appeal.

The Delhi High Court citing a judgement in the Supreme Court in a similar case in 1995, rejected the appeal and asked the Railways to consider the widow’s appeal in the light of that judgement.

The Diamond Jubilee Conference of All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA) started today at New Delhi. The open session was held in Ram Lila Grounds. Com. Manik Sarkar, Chief Minister of Tripura inaugurated and called upon the workers to continue sustained struggle against anti-worker policies of the Government. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU in his speech mentioned about the close relation between BSNLEU and AIIEA. He informed about the BSNL workers strike from 1st December against Disivestment, VRS etc. The President AIIEA, Com.Amanulla Khan immediately announced that AIIEA workers will observe 1st December as Anti-Disinvestment Day  and will demonstrate in front of BSNL officies in support of the strike.

Full preparations are going on for a successful and complete strike. Comrades at all levels are requested to start serious preparations. Wall posters, notices, meetings etc. to be arranged and the issues to be given wide publicity. JAC will meet on 22nd November.

The officers and subordinate staff of State Bank of India have called for 2 days strike on 25th & 26th November 2010 demanding immediate settlement of wage revision. Even though agreement was reached between the Unions and Indian Banks Association on 27th April with 17.5% increase, the finance ministry has not approved the so far. Hence the strike. In case the issue is not settled by December, the unions are planning for an indefinite strike in December.

Kharagpur Telecom Factory was proposed to be closed and handed over to Tata, which has got a factory nearby. Due to local struggle and intervention from BSNLEU CHQ, the factory was not closed and manufacturing of towers was started there. Some other Telecom Factories like Jabalpur, Richai etc. are also manufacturing towers. There is much demand for towers. There are more than hundred towers manufactured and stored in the TFs, but no order from the Circles/SSAs. Orders are being given to private companies. Despite clear instructions from Corporate Office that towers should be purchased from Telecom Factories, why subordinate offices are purchasing from outside. This has to be stopped. Please check whether your circle is ordering from outside and if so ensure that it is stopped and orders are issued to Telecom Factory only.

The Government has identified more PSUs to be disinvested next financial year. ” We will identify 8-10 public sector firms for the next fiscal” is the reported statement of a finance ministry spokesman. 

The PSUs targetted are Cochin Ship Yard, AMMTC, RINL, NALCO,  Neyveli Lignite Corporation, Bharat Electronics Limited, Container Corporation of India, Power Finance Corporation and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited etc. The decision of the National Co-ordination Commitee of  Public Sector Trade Unions to observe Anti-Disinvestment Day on 1st Decemmber 2010 is very timely and apt.