October 3 – International Action Day for Migrants and Refugees

Trade Unions world over are observing 3rd  October 2017 as ” International Action Day for Migrants and Refugees”as per the call of WFTU. Due to terrorist activities, US intervention and many other reasons, lakhs and lakhs of refugees are running away from their own countries to safety.

It is the bounden duty of all the countries to help these refugees to have a life and living. The latest flow of refugees is by the Rohingyas from Myanmar to Bangladesh, India etc. It is unfortunate that Govt. of India is moving for returning them to Myanmar, instead of rehabilitating them.

October 2 – Gandhiji’s Birthday

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The Nation pays respectful homage on Gandhiji’s 148th Birthday Anniversary  today, 2nd October 2017. Many programmes are organised in connection on this birth day anniversary of the father of the nation. The government organise many official functions  also.

But what about his ideals and ideas for which he fought his entire life? The Congress government seriously deviated from his ideals. And the BJP government is completely antagonistic.

Gandhiji fought for the crores of Daridrnarayanas (poor) in the country. The Modi Government implements the anti-poor, capitalistic corporate policy, increasing the number of poor people.

BSNL is seventeen years young.

BSNL is 17 years young. It was formed on 1st October 2000 against the wishes of the workers. But once formed, they made all efforts to strengthen it, despite all attacks from government and private corporates. 

The 2 lakh BSNL Workers will continue their struggles for saving and strengthen it and give a better service to the people 

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International Day of Older Persons on 1st October

1st October every year is observed as International Day of the Older Persons since 1991 as per the decision of United Nations. This year also it is being observed with rallies, meetings etc.

AIBDPA, AIPRPA and NCCPA has called for observing the same.

Observe the day with massive participation.

 

Human Wall to save the Kozhikode Railway Station

Thousands of people participated in the Human Wall round the Kozhikode Railway Station protesting against the move of the Railways to privatise the Kozhikode Station. The programme was organised under the auspices of the Railway Station Protection Committee. The participants took Oath to stop the privatisation of the station. Further programmes are being chalked out in continuation.

1st October – International Pensioners Day

1st October is the International Pensioners’ Day. Observe the same with meetings, rallies, demonstrations etc. The theme of this years’ International Day is: “Stepping in to the Future: Tapping of the talents, contributions and participation of older persons in the society. Promoting and strengthening the participation of older persons in various aspects of social, cultural, economic and civic and political life.”

Pensioners are part of the society. They have served the people well. Ensure their health, safety and social relations!

Tapan Sen M.P. demands the Government not to close Govt. Presses

Com. Tapan Sen M.P. and General Secretary of CITU has written to the central government to stop the move to close 11 Government Presses out of a total of 16. These presses have been most useful to the government in printing important documents and government publications for along time. These can be well modernised as demanded by Tapan Sen. This will reduce the dependency on the private presses.

It is well understood that the closure of government presses is part of the Capitalist Corporate Policy, which the Modi government is aggressively continuing. ‘Every Sector for the Corportates, All Profits to the Corporates’ has become the slogan of the government.

Telecom, Postal, Banks, Railways, Airlines, Airports – the list for privatisation is increasing every day! Sustained struggle is the only way to defend the PSUs.

How Option I / III will be implemented for BSNL Pensioners’?

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Option I and III recommended by the VII Central Pay Commission has slight differences between them, but it is somewhat similar to the One Rank One Pension Scheme partly implemented for the defence pensioners. In simple language, the pension of the present pensioners will be revised and refixed on the basis of the pay of the official in the same post/grade who is retiring now and getting pension on the basis of the present pay scale. This decision is to remove/reduce the discrimination between the present pensioner and the earlier pensioner who have retired from the same post/grade.

In such a case, how Option I/ III can be fully implemented for BSNL pensioners, if pay revision is not implemented for BSNL employees? The cadres in government and BSNL are different and pay scales are different. How comparison can be made between BSNL pension and government pay scale?

The only solution is pension revision of BSNL retirees on the basis of the III PRC with 15% fitment. Give support and solidarity to the struggle of the employees for a good wage settlement, which will benefit the pensioners in implementing Option I / III.

BJP leaders express unhappiness over economy downtrail

It is not only the opposition leaders, but many leaders of the BJP including their former Finance Minister Yeshwant Sinha have expressed their unhappiness over the economic down trail. The fact is that despite many assurances and announcement of many new programmes, neither employment has increased nor GDP. The demonetisation and introduction of GST has hit the people hard. There is unhappiness in the BJP cadres also.

The Modi impact is losing ground. Rajasthan BJP government had to concede all the demands of the Kisans after their mighty demonstration and protest rallies with participation of lakhs of people. The anti-worker new labour codes being introduced has angered even BMS, whose leaders have issued statements of protest. The university students are protesting against the curbs on campus freedom. The trade unions are organising Maha Dharna in Delhi for three days w.e.f. 6th November with lakhs of workers’ participation.

Yes! The change has started. The change shall continue. When assurances are not implemented and the miseries and sufferings are increasing, there will be strong reaction from the people.

Pension Revision of BSNL Retirees should be expedited

The pension revision of the BSNL retirees is being delayed, as the wage revision of BSNL employees are being delayed. BSNL employees has already started serious agitation in the matter. The affordability cause of the III Pay Revision Committee recommendations is the reason. However, the BSNL management has written to DOT for approving 15% fitment and fixation of pay.

The case of BSNL pensioners is different. The affordability clause is not acceptable, since the payment is being made by the central government. As such, AIBDPA and National Co-ordinating Committee of Pensioners Association (NCCPA) have demanded that the government should immediately order pension revision with 15% fitment in the IDA pension as recommended by III PRC.

Some unions have demanded for pension revision for BSNL retirees on the basis of VII CPC recommendations. VII CPC has recommended CDA Pension revision. All along BSNL retirees have been on IDA pension and any change in the same will result in many complications, anomalies and confusions dragging the pension revision for years and years. Further, implementation of Option I / III will be almost impossible since there is no similar scales of pay and also similar jobs in the Government as that of in the BSNL. In such a situation, the BSNL retirees will lose the Option I/III fixation. There is every chance that the increased pension received by the BSNL retirees may be compromised in the CDA scale.

AIBDPA and NCCPA are demanding for increasing the pension revision and it is on the basis of the two pension revisions already implemented which has benefited the BSNL retirees more than the Government retirees.
We hope that all pensioners associations will come together for fighting and getting justice to the BSNL retirees.