Pensioners all over the country will be observing /celebrating the Pensioners’ Day on 17th December in remembrance of the ‘Nakara’ judgment of Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court on 17th December 1982, which is treated as the ‘Magna carta’ of the pensioners.

About 10 lakh Bank workers as per the call of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) went on on a two day strike from today, 16th December 2021 against the government’s ill-advised move to destroy the PSU Banks and hand over them to private corporates.

I conveyed the greetings on behalf of NCCPA to the striking workers, who have been holding a largely attended meeting near the Mananchira Maidan, Kozikode.

Modi govt refuses to restore train concessions to senior citizens. Condemnable decision. Expressstrong protest.

Senior citizens were granted concessions in train fare since more than two decades. Earlier, the concessions were granted to men aged 65 and women aged 58. The required age for men were reduced after many representations. Till two years ago women aged 58 and above were granted 50% concession and 40% concessions to men aged 60 and above. Representations were made to grant 50% concessions to men also.
After BJP came in to power, it started creating clever moves to take away the concessions. First it was complicating the booking of tickets both direct and online by putting an option due to which the passengers were to specifically make an option for concession. Those who were not aware were compelled to pay the full charge.
Next step was withdrawing the concession in February 2020 by a post in the Railway website withdrawing the concessions to senior citizens and other certain categories citing Covid situation. It was a clever move that too secretly.

But even after situation eased and train started running, the concessions are not restored. Now, to a question in Parliament the real colour of the govt has been exposed, when the Railway Minister refused to restore concession.

The govt’s intention is very clear. Railways are being made ready for privatisation. The private companies will not be prepared for granting conessions as it will reduce their profit.

More than 4 lakhs vacancies exist in Railways without being filled causing acute shortage of staff even in operations side. Posts are not being filled up due to 2 main reasons. Private corporates want to run with less staff.

Another reason is that when vacancies are being filled up, reservations have to be made to SC, ST and other reserved categories by govt. Private corporates will never agree to this. They may even retrench such officials as they tried in VSNL after Tata took it over.

Earlier 50% concessions were granted in fare by Air India to senior citizens above the age of 60. Now it has been curtailed with many restrictions. After take over by Tata, even this limited concession may disappear.

There is no doubt that Modi govt is taking away the rights and concessions granted to people to please the corporates. Strong protests and sustained struggles and exposure of govt is required to defend the rights of citizens, the correct way shown by the Kisans.

Whatever dues are to be paid by BSNL to govt, they are forcefully taken. But whatever is due from govt to BSNL, coming to more than Rs.39,000 crores, is not paid. Double role of the govt to further weaken the PSU. Govt is prepared to pay funds to retrench employees, but not prepared to provide funds for development and expansion.

SAVE BSNL, SAVE NATION.

In reply to a Parliament question, Minister of Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw has replied that many representations have been received to restore the train ticket concessions which were withdrawn during the period and the matter has been examined and not found feasible at present.

These concessions include to that of senior citizens. Women aged 58 and above were granted 50% and men aged 60 and above were granted 40% concession in train tickets. Senior Citizens Friends Welfare Association, Kerala had represented several times for the restoration of the same. Now the government has flatly refused restoration. This is a great injustice to the old aged people. Our strong protest.

As part of the anti-people, anti-worker, anti-PSU policy of the Modi Government, each and every PSU, which had given yeomen service to the Nation and the people are either being closed or handed over to the corporates for a song or destroyed ruthlessly. Workers are being thrown to the streets. Even during the Covid period, while the people and the workers are in great financial distress, the corporates have increased their wealth. Govt is giving more and more support to the corporates while putting the people in great distress.

The case of BSNL is not different. BSNL was formed only to be privatised since a govt department can not be directly privatised. It was correctly stated that corporatisation is the first step towards privatisation. If the recognised federations like NFTE and FNTO had taken a strong stand along with the Unions in the Door Sanchar Sangharsh Samithi (National Action Committee) and continued the struggles against corporatisation, the position would have been different. With more than 3.5 lakh workers in a crucial sector continuing relentless struggles against corporatisation, government would have been compelled to drop it.

Of course there is not much use in going back to the past, but lessons have to be learnt from the past mistakes. That is what BSNLEU and the Joint Form of BSNL Unions did. Through continuous struggles with the full participation and support of the workers, they were able to defeat the decision of the government to sell the shares of BSNL as in the case of MTNL, imposing VRS twice in the 2000s, sharing of towers and optical fibres and so on.

The government took another route to weaken BSNL. Undue benefits were given to private companies, 4 G was not given to BSNL, all anti-BSNL steps were taken by the DOT with the BSNL management meekly implementing them. Salaries were not paid in time, management pressurised the workers to take VRS, contract workers were retrenched and wages not paid – all intended to weaken BSNL making it like a bonsai plant, cutting its roots one after another. Now its main strength, optical fibres and towers are going to be handed over to the private companies.

This is a crucial period. All odds are against BSNL and its workers – the anti-PSU policy of the government, the corporate lobby with its vast influence on the government even making the Prime Minister its ‘poster boy’ as pointed out out by a former Communications Minister in the Parliament today and also BJP’s brute majority in the Parliament, making it arrogant to pass any anti-people bill in the Parliament even without discussion.

But there is a ray of hope. Even this central government with its huge majority had to surrender before the year-old patient struggle of the kisans, the food-givers of the country. Prime Minister was compelled to apologise to them and cancel all the anti-kisan laws and agree to other fully justified demands. It made one to remember the 22 days strike of the P and T workers in 1946, before which the mighty British government was stunned and which had to concede all the 12 demands raised by the union. Of course that was part of the great Independence Struggle.

As far as BSNL is concerned it has to be revived and strengthened for the benefit of the Nation, the people and the workers. Telecom is the second line of defence. It is crucial for the growth of the country, especially the far flung villages, border areas, strategical centres etc. The workers have got the responsibility to go to the people and campaign for getting their active support explaining what would happen if telecom sector is completely handed over to the private companies.

The formation of the Co-ordination Committee of BSNLEU-AIBDPA-BSNLCCWF and its campaign programme and agitations are in the right direction. It has to be developed in to a forum of all the unions and associations of the workers, the pensioners and the contract workers and sustained struggles organised with the support of the people.

The two days strike on 23-24 February 2022 called by the Central Trade Unions and Independent Federations is in the right direction and it had to be made a full success. Such unity and struggles are required to save BSNL and revive it.

General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff died in Chopper accident. Great loss to the nation. Heartfelt condolences.

As per reported statistics India lost 1,54,732 valuable lives in 2019 alone, in 4,37,396 rod accidents. During Covid period this was comparatively less. Now that restrictions are being removed, accidents have started increasing. The maximum victims are two wheeler riders, either through their direct accidents or through cars, buses, heavy vehicles hitting them. A most condemnable part is the role of those vehicle drivers who speed away, without stopping and helping the victims, well knowing that the accidents were due to their mistakes.

Neither the central government nor the state government seems to take serious note of these accidents and deaths even though their number is increasing every year. It is also a fact that the people themselves are much worried on the spot, but forget all the trauma in a short time.

The Central – State governments has to enforce the traffic rules strictly, roads should be improved, public should be enlightened how to avoid accidents etc. Will it happen in India in the recent future ?

COUNTRYWIDE GENERAL STRIKE ON23-24 FEBRUARY, 2022
Call of the NATIONAL CONVENTION OF WORKERS held on 11TH November 2021, Jantar Mantar, New Delhi

6th December, 2021, New Delhi:

The Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent sectoral All India Federations and Associations met in Delhi on 3^rd December, 2021 and finalized the dates for the Countrywide 2-days’ General Strike, on 23-24 February 2022 during the budget session of the Parliament as announced by the National Convention of Workers held on 11^th November 2021 at New Delhi, against the anti-people, anti-worker and anti-national destructive policies of the BJP Govt. at the centre.

The main slogan of the strike will be SAVE THE PEOPLE AND SAVE THE NATION.

It was decided to hold joint preparatory public meetings in co-ordination with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leadership, especially in the states that are to go to polls in the beginning of 2022, to strengthen the call of “Mission UP”, “Mission Uttarakhand” given by the SKM. The Joint Platform of Trade Unions & Federations reiterated its continued proactive support to the programmes and struggles decided by SKM, following repeal of the Farm Laws.

The State Units of the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent Sectoral Federations will carry out intensive campaign jointly through various forms – such as state conventions, human chains, torchlight processions, signature campaigns, sectoral and area-based joint campaign and agitation etc- to expose the consequences of the anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti–people, pro-corporate and anti-national destructive policies by the Govt. of India which have brought the lives and livelihood of the entire people and also the country’s economy to the brink of disaster. Already many struggles and agitations are going on in many sectors on the same issues at the initiative of the constituents of Joint Platform. The Joint Platform also welcomes and supports the decision of two days countrywide strike in Banks on 16-17 December 2021 as decided by United Forum of Bank Unions and also the strike decision by Electricity Employees’ joint forum on 1^st February 2022-all against privatization move and retrograde legislative move in that direction.   Our United Struggle is not only to save the rights and lives/livelihood of people but also save the country’s economy and the entire democratic system and the society as a whole from disaster and destruction being engineered by the authoritarian forces in governance with the active support of private corporate, both domestic and foreign and decisively defeat the disastrous policy regime and their political operators in governance.  

The farmers’ movement has snatched a historic victory by forcing the arrogant Modi govt. to repeal the 3 farm laws. Now the cross sections of the Working People must heighten their united intervention further to demand a halt to this process of assault on lives and livelihood, employment, alarming intensity of impoverishment and hunger, assault on democracy and also unity of the people and thereby save our dear nation from disaster.

We have to demand from all political parties of the nation to incorporate “protection of right to work, living wage, free quality health-care and education-facility to all citizens and all legitimate constitutional rights” as a firm commitment in their political manifestos for the coming assembly elections in 2022 and for the elections scheduled for 2024 and take oath publicly to fulfill their assurances and to support the demands of workers, farmers and all people of the country if they come to power.

The recent repeal of 3 Farm Laws and marginal reduction in central taxes on petrol/diesel in the face of determined long-drawn united struggles by the farmers along with countrywide solidarity actions by the working people and people at large demonstrating rising popular anger and unrest, is also a reflection cum reaction under compulsion of the debacle faced by the ruling party in the centre in the recent by-elections. And therefore, intensification of the united struggle in continuity determined to combat and defeat the anti-people policies and the regime is the way before us. Let that determination be demonstrated in the forthcoming countrywide two days’ general strike.

We have to heighten our united struggle resolutely pressing for our demands, particularly for

1. Scrapping the Labour Codes; Scrapping of EDSA (Essential Defence Services Act)
2. Accept 6-point charter of demands, post repeal of Farm Laws, of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha,
3. No to Privatisation in any form and scrap the NMP;
4. Food and Income Support of Rs 7500 per month to non-income tax paying households;
5. Increased allocation for MNREGA and extension of Employment guarantee Scheme to urban areas;
6. Universal social security for all informal sector workers;
7. Statutory Minimum wage and social security for Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-day-meal and other Scheme workers;
8. Proper protection and insurance facilities for frontline workers serving the people in the midst of pandemic;
9. Increase in public investment in agriculture, education, health and other crucial public utilities by taxing the rich through wealth tax etc in order to revive and revamp the national economy;
10.  Substantial reduction in Central Excise duty on petroleum product and concrete remedial measure to arrest price rise. 
11. Regularisation of contract workers,  scheme workers and equal pay for equal work for all
12. Cancellation of NPS and restoration of old pension; substantial increase in minimum pension under Employees’ Pension Scheme

Along with other demands already formulated and being pressed for and pursued by the Joint Platform of CTUs and Federations/Associations.

Forward to the 2-days countrywide General Strikes on 23-24 February 2022

 during the Budget Session of Parliament

“SAVE THE PEOPLE AND SAVE THE NATION”.

And Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2021

The Central Trade Unions organised a National Convention of Workers at Jantar Mantar on 11^th November, 2021. The Convention deliberated in detail about the pro-corporate, anti-people, anti-worker and anti-kisan policies of the Modi government. The Convention unanimously resolved to organise a two day General Strike in the budget session of the Parliament, opposing the wrong policies of the government and demanding settlement of the 12 point charter of demands of the Central Trade Unions. Thereafter, the Central Trade Unions have discussed and finalised the date of the General Strike. Yesterday, the Central Trade Unions have issued a statement, announcing that the two day General Strike would take place on 23^rd & 24^th February, 2022.

Charter of demands

1. Scrapping the Labour Codes; Scrapping of EDSA.
2. Accept 6-point charter of demands, post repeal of Farm Laws, of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha.
3. No to Privatisation in any form and scrap the NMP;
4. Food and Income Support of Rs 7500 per month to non-income tax paying households;
5. Increased allocation for MNREGA and extension of Employment guarantee Scheme to urban areas;
6. Universal social security for all informal sector workers;
7. Statutory Minimum wage and social security for Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-day-meal and other Scheme workers;
8. Proper protection and insurance facilities for frontline workers serving the people in the midst of pandemic;
9. Increase in public investment in agriculture, education, health and other crucial public utilities by taxing the rich through wealth tax etc in order to revive and revamp the national economy;
10. Substantial reduction in Central Excise duty on petroleum product and concrete remedial measure to arrest price rise.
11. Regularisation of contract workers, scheme workers and equal pay for equal work for all.
12. Cancellation of NPS and restoration of old pension; substantial increase in minimum pension under Employees’ Pension Scheme.

(Courtesy : bsnleu website)