CITU protests anti-worker decision of Government on EPF

10 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by in CITU

≈ 4 Comments

CITU has issued the following statement:
New Delhi, December 10: The Centre of Indian Trade Unions denounced yet another retrograde decision of the Narendra Modi Govt to benefit the employers’ class at the cost of workers, while making obscene noise on its so called pro-people postures and zumlas.
It is reported that in the name of boosting employment generation and exports, Union Cabinet has given approval to certain unilateral changes in labour laws and Employees Provident Fund scheme which will only benefit the employers’ class and business houses and harm the workers.
The Cabinet has decided  to provide for additional 3.67% share of employer’s contribution to EPF in the garment-apparel sector in addition to 8.33% granted by its previous announcement couple of months ago. Thus the Govt is going to bear the entire amount of the employers’ contribution obligation to EPF to the tune of 12% in the concerned sectors. (PIB, 7-12-2016)
Simultaneously the Cabinet is now proposing to make EPF contribution of the employees optional for those earning less than Rs15000/- per month, not only for the garment-apparel sectors but for the entire made-ups sector in manufacturing, on the plea of increasing the take-home pay of the employees.  And in this case, the Govt is not going to pay for the employees’ contribution in EPF in line with what they have done for employers’ contribution.
These changes are being made without any consultation with Trade Unions.  Whole exercise of the government seems to be to finally dismantle the social security schemes available to workers.
Media reports also say that the amendments to EPF schemes and labour laws are being approved even without  the knowledge of Labour Department.  This has been going on for some time.  Even the decision taken under the Chairmanship of Labour Minister in tripartite bodies was changed by the Finance Ministry and workers had to go on struggle to revise these decisions.
CITU registers its strong protest over the unilateral decision being made by the government in the labour related matters and demands withdrawal of all such decisions and to hold proper consultations with the Trade Unions on all labour matters.

Executive Membership Verification over

10 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by in General

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

The first  Membership Verification of Executives in BSNL was over on 7th December 2016 and counting completed on 9th.

Out of a total number of 44,412 executives, 42,007 (94.58%) voted. 251 ( 0.57%) votes were invalid. The major contestants SNEA(I) and AIBSNLEA got 20,128 (45.32%0 and 18,438 ( 41.52%) respectively. All other associations got less than 2% each.

We congratulate all the associations for the successful conduct of the membership verification, and especially the two major associations ; viz. SNEA(I) and AIBSNLEA who have both got more than 40%.

 

Make the 15th December Strike 100% Success!

10 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

The call of the All Unions / Associations in BSNL to go on strike on 15th December 2016 against the ill-conceived proposal of the government to carve out a Telecom Tower Subsidiary Company from BSNL is timely and fully justified. This move, if implemented, will be the death knell of BSNL.

Hence, each and every BSNL employee should participate in the strike to save BSNL and  the BSNL workers! Let wide propaganda go to the people, who will support the struggle of the workers.

Towards a successful strike!

Oppose Military Alliance with US – CPI(M)

10 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by in General

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

 

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

Another Step in Military Alliance with US

The Modi government has taken yet another step in entangling India in a military alliance with the United States of America. The terms for India being accorded the status of a Major Defence Partner of the US has been finalised during the visit of the US Secretary of Defence Asthon Carter.

The status of a Major Defence Partner is equivalent to that of the close military allies of the United States such as Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Japan and South Korea.

Coming in the wake of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), this new agreement will further encroach upon India’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy.

The CPI(M) is strongly opposed to such military collaborations. The Modi government has not made the text of these agreement public. It is imperative that these agreements which have vital implications for India’s national interests and sovereignty be made available to the people. (courtesy: INN)

Where is the Cash, being released by RBI, going?

10 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by in General

≈ Leave a comment

The central government and the RBI are issuing statements daily intimating that sufficient cash is being released to the Banks for transaction. But the fact is that the queues in front of the lakhs of ATMs and Bank Branches are becoming longer and longer. People have to stand in the queue for hours together and sometimes by the time they reach the front, there is no cash.

The question is: Where the new notes are going, if sufficient supply is there? The fact is that very insufficient notes are being released by the RBI. Secondly, the reports of laundering as also catching of many with lakhs of new rupee notes in their hands show that in many places, the notes are being diverted to some influential persons or by bribe. The Income Tax and police might have only caught about 1 or 2 % of these thiefs. They are influential and they may come out with out any scratch.

The net result is that the ordinary people, workers, employees, small traders, kisans are all put to great misery for getting some money for their daily expenditure. This hell of a situation should end. The government should be compelled to take immediate action.

Constitution of National Council – BSNLEU protests against the inordinate delay

09 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by in BSNLEU

≈ Leave a comment

BSNL Employees Union has written to  BSNL Management protesting against the delay in constituting the National Council.

The inordinate delay in constituting the Council has no justification. The results were out in May 2016. Almost full seven months are over.This never has happened in the past. Is the management trying to evade the Council and keep the unions from discussing the issues with the recognised union/s?

Another issue is that instructions are issued by BSNL that the recognised union can nominate members to the Council from its own members only. This is a ridiculous decision. In the past, the recognised union had nominated members of other unions and the same were accepted after the concerned member declared that he is willing to accept the nomination. It can be done now also. It is to be remembered that the recognised union represents the entire workers. The Management can submit to the Ernakulam High Court, where a case is pending, that the Management is willing to accept such nominations, which was always the practice since the formation of the National council in BSNL.

Will the BSNL Management act with out further delay? It seems that only one meeting of the National Council was conducted in the entire year 2016, instead of one meeting every three months. This is completely inacceptable.

BSNL Management should take immediate action to hold the National Council meeting.

 

 

Govt. denies EPF to textile, made-ups sectors – Anti-worker decision

09 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by in General

≈ Leave a comment

The Modi Government is gradually taking away the social security benefits to the workers to help the employers.

The latest is the decision of the government to give option to the workers in garments, textile and  made-up sectors who are getting less than Rs.15,000 per month to opt out of EPF. Though the decision is for option, the employers will forcibly compel the poor workers to opt out of EPF. This helps the employers not to  remit the 12% contribution to be paid by them. This decision will deprive the workers from the only statutory social security after their retirement.

We demand that the government rescind this  anti-worker decision.

Uttarakhand High Courts stays closure of HMT unit

09 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by in General, PSU

≈ Leave a comment

In a welcome decision, the Uttarakhand High Court has issued stay on 8th December 2016 on the shut down  of the HMT Unit at Ranibagh. HMT Kamgar Sangh has filed the case against the decision of the central government to close the watch making HMT. The HC has given six weeks time to the Government and the Labour Ministry to file the counter-affidavit.

This is a temporary victory for the workers against the anti-PSU, anti-worker decision of the government.

One month post demonetisation 

09 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

One month has passed after announcement of demonetisation. Misery for people continues. Markets down. Industry down. Food consumption down. Crores of workdays lost due to people queuing up for hours to withdraw some money.

The government should apologise to the people and take immediate extra ordinary measures to make cash available. The government can not continue Tuglak measures. 

Pension Revision along with Wage Revision is a must

09 Friday Dec 2016

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNL

≈ Leave a comment

Pension Revision for the central government retirees is automatic with the implementation of the pay revision for the employees. But in the case of BSNL absorbed retirees it is different. Every time the file has to go to Cabinet for approval for pension revision. This is unjust and discrimination.

BSNLEU and AIBDPA have demanded that the pension Revision also be made along with the wage revision for the BSNL employees. This is only but justice to the BSNL absorbed DOT employees.