Loud Declarations, Lacking in implementation

Tags

, ,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated in Assam that the rich who have looted the public sector banks will not be spared. He said:

“You know how the rich have usurped public money. My government has tightened the screws on the bank defaulters. They are sweating due to fear of going to jail and are fleeing. But no one will be spared I am telling you.”

“The money looted from the banks does not belong to the banks but to the poor people of the country and I will ensure that those who looted this money return each and every paise… they have looted the country.”

Assurances and declarations are well taken. But what about action against the culprits? How the biggest defaulter Mallya was allowed to leave India despite clear evidence and cases against him by various government agencies? How Lali Modi was allowed to leave the country?

9th Convention of Telecommunication Employees Association of Nepal (TEAN)

Tags

, ,

The 9th Convention of the Telecommunication Employees Association of Nepal (TEAN) is being held at Nepalganj from 28th to 30th March 2016. Com. Balbir Singh, President, BSNLEU, will be attending the convention as per the invitation of TEAN.

BSNLEU and TEAN have been always in close relationship for the last one decade or more. Both are the biggest unions in the telecom sector in their own countries and share a progressive out-look. They are part of the main stream of the working class. The delegates from TEAN had been attending All India Conferences of BSNLEU and delegates from BSNLEU attending the Conventions of TEAN. As General Secretary of BSNLEU, I have attended these conventions three or four times. I still remember the warm reception they gave to all of us delegates while in Nepal. We have also made maximum efforts to welcome them during their visits to India. Office-bearers have changed on both sides, but the ties remain strong.

Nepal has moved forward from a Hindu kingdom to a social secular democratic republic like India. We welcome the change and congratulate the people of Nepal and TEAN, who contributed for the welcome change.

We  convey our Warm Greetings and Best Wishes to the delegates and leaders who are attending the Convention and for the success of the Convention!  Let the close relationship continue and strengthen further!

Universities are centres of learning, Do not destroy them

Tags

, ,

Universities are the centres of learning where crores of  youth of the country learns through hard study, guidance from the elders, discuss on each and every issue critically and expose themselves to the future world. It is a workshop where they train themselves to give the best to the world.

What the central government and certain Hindutwa brigade are trying is to muffle the free speech, independent thought and frighten them to silence. This was never the proud heritage of the country.

This attack on the centres of learning should be reisted and defeated to save our young generation and the future of the nation.

Executives and Non-Executives

Tags

,

The Central government employees were earlier grouped in to four classes viz. Class I, Class II, Class III and Class IV. Sometimes the classification was as Group A, Group B, Group C and Group D. ICS/ IAS, IFS, IRS, ITS etc. all India services were in a higher rank starting from Class I/Group A.

After the VI Central Pay Commission, the Group D/ Class IV in Central Services is being eliminated by upgrading eligible officials to Group C/Class III and no further recruitment in class IV/Group D.

In Public Sectors like BSNL, MTNL etc. the classification is Group A, Group B (Executives) and Non-Executives (which comprises of the earlier Group C & D).

Thus the Group D & C are merged in to one, the non-executives, which is a correct decision. Now, the question arises: Whether there is any need for a division between the executives and non-executives.

The name non-executive itself is a negative one – it means one who is not an  executive. But the fact is that they are employees/workers, who also execute work. In fact they are not non-executives, but executives only. There is full justification that the division of names in to executives and non-executives should go. This discrimination is part of the British oriented superiority cult which has been continued by the Government of India. It is just like the khaki uniform supplied to the Class IV earlier to show that they are inferior. Now in the PSUs, all the officials from the top to the bottom are wearing the same uniform. It is so in many corporate concerns.

In such a situation, is it necessary to continue the name of non-executives? It is time for the government, PSUs, Private sector etc.to drop the name non-executive and have a common name for all the workers/employees.

wage Negotiation in BSNL – DPE should be moved for immediate action.

Tags

, , , ,

BSNL Employees are eligible for wage revision from 01-01-2017. The revision for executives is done through the recommendations of the Pay Revision Committee, which is to be appointed by the Department of Public enterprises and which is applicable for the executives in all PSUs. For the non-executives in BSNL, it is through the wage negotiation between the BSNL Management and the reeognised union/s.Since the negotiation takes place only after the DPE guidelines in the matter, the management should immediately take up the matter with the DPE.

In such a case, both the unions/associations in BSNL have to take up the matter with DPE for appointment of the Pay Revision Committee for the executives and the issue of guidelines for the non-executives to start the wage negotiation.

6% Increase of DA to CG Employees from 01-01-2016

Tags

,

CABINET APPROVES 6% HIKE IN DA FOR CENTRAL GOVT EMPLOYEES.PRESS REPORT ISSUED GIVEN BELOW:
Press Information Bureau Government of India
Cabinet
23-March-2016 16:29 IST
Release of additional instalment of Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to Pensioners due from 1.1.2016
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved release of an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to Pensioners w.e.f. 01.01.2016. This represents an increase of 6 percent over the existing rate of 119 percent of the Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate for price rise.

This will benefit about 50 lakh Government employees and 58 lakh pensioners.

The increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC). The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would be of Rs. 6796.50 crore per annum and Rs.7929.24 crore respectively, in the financial year 2016-17 (for a period of 14 months from January, 2016 to February, 2017). PIB

Kerala Circle will create history in the BSNL Membership Verification

Kerala Circle is one of the strongest Circle of BSNLEU with a high  % of membership among the BSNL employees.

The CHQ has allotted Com. P.Asoka Babu, CHQ Vice-President to tour the circle on election campaign. Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU attended and addressed a mammoth circle level Convention of BSNL workers at Ernakulam on which was attended by more than 650 employees. Considering that Kerala is a small circle with only 11 SSAs and less employees, the number was significant. General Secretary spoke for about one and half hours and his speech in English was ably translated by Com.K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary. The Malayalam translation of the verification campaign book published by CHQ was released in the convention which was printed 10,000 copies, sufficient to supply to all the employees of Kerala, irrespective of their membership.

Continuing the campaign, Coms. V.A.N.Nambbodiri, Patron and P.Asoka Babu Vice-President, BSNLEU along with CHQ Asst. General Secretary Com. S.Pratap Kumar, CHQ Org. Secretary, Com.M.Vijaya Kumar, Circle President Com. A.V.Kuriakose and Circle Secretary Com.K.Mohanan attended SSA level conventions in all the SSAs, except Ernakulam, where the Circle level Convention has already been held. Coms. P.V.Chandrasekharan, veteran leader and Patron AIBDPA, R.Muralidharan Nair, former Asst. General Secretary, BSNLEU and other senior leaders attended a few of the SSA conventions and addressed. The District President and District Secretary  of the SSA along with other office-bearers organised the convention effectively. All the conventions were attended by large number of employees including some from other unions.

The Conventions were held from 18th to 24th March  2016 as follows: Alappuzha (18-03-2016), Malappuram (19-03-2016), Thiruvananthapuram ( 21-03-2016), Kollam (21-03-2016), Thiruvalla (22-03-2016), Kottayam (22-03-2016), Palakkad (23-03-2016), Thrissur (23-03-2016), Kozhikode (24-03-2016) and Kannur (24-03-2016). A total of more than 1,500 workers might have attended these conventions.

While Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Patron and Founder General Secretary BSNLEU attended all the conventions and inaugurated most of them, Com.P.Asoka Babu, Vice-President gave the key-note address in all the eight conventions he attended. He spoke in detail about the achievements of BSNLEU, the struggles it has organised, its initiative in bringing all unions under a Joint Forum for the revival of BSNL and on common issues etc. He also mentioned about the new demands that have been raised by BSNLEU both inside and out side National Council. Circle Secretary Com.K.Mohanan translated the speech of Com.Asoka Babu in most of the centres, while Com. S.Pratap Kumar, AGS translated in one centre.

Since the election to the Kerala State assembly is taking place in May 2016, the issue also came for discussion. The speakers called upon the employees to support LDF, which always has supported the workers and fought for them.

These district level conventions have created confidence among the BSNL workers about their future. They have once again realised that it is only BSNLEU which can ensure the revival of BSNL and achieve the demands of the workers. The workers, irrespective of union, are inspired and will certainly vote for BSNLEU to stregnthen BSNL and to strengthen the working class movement.

The tour was an excellent opportunity to meet the workers at the ground level and discuss their issues. I could meet a lot of old comrades and functionaries since members of AIBDPA and CCLU attended in good numbers in addition to BSNLEU comrades.

Stop this attack on the Students, the future of the Nation!

Tags

,

Reports are coming one after another about brutal attacks on the students of JNU, Hyderabad and similar such institutions for free speech and for raising progressive ideas. It is very clear that the ruling party at the centre is supporting these attacks covertly and overtly. This is a threat to the society and serious danger.

Strong protest and condemnation of these attacks should raise from all who cherish the freedom of speech and freedom of the country.

14th April 2016, Ambedkar Jayanti, declared as Holiday by Government

Tags

, ,

Government of India on 21st March has issued orders declaring 14th April 2016, Birthday of Bharat Ratna Dr. B.R.Ambedkar, Architect of the Indian Constitution and also the icon of the crores of the underprivileged in the country, as holiday. We welcome the decision.

At the same time, we demand the government that instead of announcing the holiday every year just before the Ambedkar Jayanti, it should announce the same along with the other holidays, well in advance. We demand BSNL to immediately announce the holiday on 14th April 2016.

Meeting at Kannur, Kerala

Tags

,

The last SSA level Convention in Kerala Circle in connection with the Membership verification was held on 24th March evening at Kannur, the strong hold of BSNLEU. About 300 comrades participated. Contract workers and pensioners also attended. The convention ws presided over by Com. Ravindran, Kodakkad, SSA President. Com.P.V.Rajan, Dist. Secretary, BSNLEU gave the welcome speech. Com. P.Asoka Babu, Vice-President, V.A.N.Namboodiri, Patron, K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, M.Vijayakumar, CHQ Org. Secretary, P.Manoharan, Circle Asst. Secretary, M.T.Nanda Kumar, Circle Vice-President, K.Shyamala, Convener, Dt. Mahila Committee, K.V.Jayarajan, DS, Calicut and other leaders attended and addressed.

Kannur has got about 79% vote last time. The workers assured that not only they will cross 80% but it will further increase. A good number of direct recruited employees were also in the convention.