“Telecom TU Movement since 1991″(13) – Fight against Privatisation move.

20 Friday Nov 2015

Posted by in Telecom TU Movement 1991-2015

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New Recognition Rules – CCS (RSA) Rules, 1993

The government issued the Central Civil Services (Recognition of Service Association) Rules, 1993 on 09-11-1993, amending the existing rules on the recognition of the associations/unions of central government employees. One of the major changes in the rules was that only a working employee can be the office-bearer of the association/union. Another was that the membership will be verified through the check-off system in pay rolls at such intervals and in such a manner as the government may decide

Important provisions of these rules are given below:

  1. Separate Association for each category
  2. Only an Association representing more than 35% of total strength of the category shall be recognized. Another Association if representing more than 15% of the strength will be recognized.
  3. Only serving government servants will remain members / office bearers of the Association. If an office bearer of a category of Association is promoted, he will cease to be a member/office bearer of that Association.
  4. All amendments to the constitution / bye-laws of the Association shall have to be approved by the government before these could be carried out.
  5. Verification of membership would be through check-off system in pay rolls and not through secret ballot.

Spectre of Privatisation in telecom – N.Vittal as Secretary, Telecom

The appointment of N.Vittal, as Secretary, DOT and Chairman, Telecom commission in 1994 speeded up  the move for privatization of the telecom sector as part of the neo-liberal policy of the government. Inviting the entrepreneurs to invest in the huge profitable telecom sector, he stated that Government should consider 10 years tax holiday or 16 % return to the private sector units for their investment in the sector.

Meanwhile reports also came that at Tumkur and Bangalore in Karnataka, Tirupur and Tutucorin in T.Nadu, Ghaziabad in U.P. etc. MNCs and their partners and collaborators among Indian monopoly houses have been invited to open new services to meet the existing and expanding demands for telephone.

It was also reported that two schemes will be implemented – BLT(Build, Lease and transfer)  and BOT (Build Operate and transfer) were being finalized for the private operators.

In this background the three recognized federations met N.Vittal, Chairman, Telecom Commission on 26th April 1993. Vittal assured the Federations that the existing 4.7 lakh telecom workers will be fully protected, their career prospects would be guarded and the entire workforce will be given training in the new technologies for which a scheme will be finalized.

E.III (N) Union strongly protested these moves for privatization  and expressed firm view that in the name of competitiveness we can not allow dual functioning.

The three recognized Federations, viz. NFTE, FNTO and BTEF, after the meeting with the Secretary DOT met and decided to go on strike in November 1993 to focus people’s attention on the policy of destabilization of the services in the name of liberalisation and  deregularisation.

The demands for the strike are:

  1. No duality/multiplicity in Telecom Services
  2. Complete upgrading of skills and education of workforce to change the work culture
  3. Reduce working hours as recommended by the ILO to absorb surplus staff
  4. End corruption at all levels.
  5. Provide full information to unions and hold meaningful consultations
  6. Settle all aspects of the workers’ organizations.

One Day Stay-in, Pen Down  Strike on 31-12-1993

After one postponement of date, One Day Stay-in, Pen Down  Strike was decided to be organized on 31st December 1993. Initially, OPG & Co. were not prepared for action. As usual, he expressed reluctance to fight against corporatization and privatization. But when ITSA, JTOA, FNTO, E.III, T.III and Administrative Union decided, OPG also agreed. Accordingly the strike notice was issued.

The demands raised in the strike were as follows:

  1. No need of corporatization/privatization
  2. Constitute an independent Telecom Finance Corporation.
  3. Joint Committee Report to be incorporated in the Cabine Note
  4. Consultation with Staff Side before launching any move for a change in the structure of the DoT.
  5. Upgradation of the skills of the workers.

The Chairman, Telecom Commission met the unions and discussed the issues, but there was no progress in settling the demands. Hence the strike decision was reiterated.

The strike was a complete success. Since the call was given by all the three Federations and the Unions, there was good co-ordination in the campaign and the implementation.

The Indian Telecom Service Association(ITS), the organization of the  ITS officers, observed Protest Day on the same day, 31st December 2015 to synchronize their opposition to the move of the government for corporatization, by wearing black badges and extended full support to the strike by employees. The class II Officers’ Association, TESA, observed pay-boycott on the same day to fall in line with the united movement.

The government was prompt enough to declare the strike as illegal and threatened to punish the striking employees with orders of penal measures. The workers ignored them and fully participated.

Altogether the one day Stay-in, Pen Down Strike was a warning by all the employees to the government that any move for corporatization or privatization of telecom will be unitedly opposed.

US telecom MNC threatens H.P.Wagle, Chairman, Telecom Commission

It was reported in the press that Van E.Snowdon, Vice-President of ‘Vanguard’ one of the biggest cellular operator in USA, has threatened that, if necessary, that good offices of the International Monetary Fund(IMF) will be used through diplomatic channels to remove H.P.Wagle, ITS, Chairman, Telecom Commission from his post. The reason? He was not prepared to open the flood gates for any cellular company to open in the metros and stuck to the position that rules will be strictly implement. H.P.Wagle was the last ITS officer to hold the post of Chairman, Telecom Commission. He retired in September 1993. Afterwards no ITS officer was posted in that position. N.Vittal, the so called telecom expert was his successor. (To be continued)

“Telecom TU Movement Since 1991”

20 Friday Nov 2015

Posted by in BSNL News, General, P&T TU History

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I am preparing a book on the developments in the Telecom Trade Union Movement since 1991 at the All India Conference of E.III Union at Bhopal in October 1991 and the victory of the progressive forces in the organisation. Many of the senior comrades and activists who are part of the great struggle for democratising the union and advancing forward can help me by sending information which will help me in preparing the book. Portion of the book is being published in this blog every week for the last few months. I shall be thankful if valuable suggestions and feed back are given.

V.A.N.Namboodiri

“Great Leaders of P and T TU Movement” – Release on 24th November 2015

20 Friday Nov 2015

Posted by in General, Postal Service, Telecom, Telecom TU Movement 1991-2015

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“Great Leaders of P and T Movement”, a book on the life and activities of 9 leaders of the Posts and Telegraphs Trade Union movement  will be released on 24th November 2015, the 61st anniversary of the formation on NFPTE.  The 9 leaders are Babu Tarapada Mukherjee, Henry Barton, V.G.Dalvi, B.N.Ghosh, K.G.Bose, N.J.Iyer, K.Adinarayana, O.P.Gupta and Moni Bose. The author is Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Patron of BSNLEU.

The book reveals how the unions were formed in the P and Telegraphs, how much difficulty and victimisation they had to face, the growth of the organisation, formation of UPTW and NFPTE  and the historic strikes of 1946, 1947, 1960, 1968, 1974 etc. as also the formation of BSNL.

 

VII CPC Recommendations Retrograde and disappointing _ Confederation of Central government Employees & Workers

20 Friday Nov 2015

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The Confederation of Central Government Employees has strongly protested against the retrograde recommendations of the VII CPC, released yesterday. These are far below the expectations of the employees and completely disappointing. The National Joint Action Committee of Staff Side, JCM, National Council will meet today and plan for future programme. A brief of the recommendations of the VII CPC and what has been demanded by the Staff Side is given below:

7TH PAY COMMISSION REPORT SUBMITTED TO GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ON 19.11.2015

MOST DISAPPOINTING AND RETROGRADE RECOMMENDATIONS

WORST RECOMMENDATIONS EVER MADE BY ANY PREVIOUS PAY COMMISSION

ONLY 14.29% INCREASE IN PAY AFTER 10 YEARS

(EQUAL TO TWO DA INSTALLMENTS)!!!

50 LAKHS CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND DEFENCE PERSONNEL CHEATED & DECEIVED

 HOLD PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
 NJCA LEADERS MEETING AT DELHI ON 20.11.2015 AT 11 AM, WILL DECIDE THE FUTURE COURSE OF ACTION

IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS

  1. DATD OF EFFECT – 01.01.2016

JCM Staff Side demand – 01.01.2014 – Rejected

  1. MINIMUM PAY – 18000

JCM (SS) demand – 26000 – Rejected

Dr. Aykroyd Formula of 15th Indian Labour Conference for calculation of Minimum wage distorted by 7th CPC to deny the eligible minimum pay.

  1. FITMENT FORMULA – 2.57 TIMES

JCM (SS) demand – multiplication factor 3.7 (26000/7000)

  1. FIXATION ON PROMOTION – NO CHANGE – ONLY ONE INCREMENT IN THE OLD SCALE

JCM (SS) demand – Minimum two increments fixation.

  1. ANNUAL INCREMENT – 3% NO CHANGE

JCM (SS) demand – 5%

  1. MODIFIED ASSURED CAREER PROGRESSION – NO CHANGE – 10, 20, 30

Conditions made more stringent. Bench mark “Very Good” required instead of “good”. Examination for MACP proposed. Hierarchial promotion restored.

JCM (SS) demand: Five promotion – 8,7,6,5,4 (30 years)

  1. PAY BAND, GRADE PAY SYSTEM ABOLISHED

New Pension Structure called “Matrix based open ended pay structure” recommended. Total span of the scale 40 years.

JCM (SS) demand: Abolish pay band, Grade Pay system and open ended pay scales should be introduced.

  1. MAXIMUM PAY INCREASE – 14.29%

JCM (SS) demand – Minimum 40% increase for all employees.

  1. COMPARISON BETWEEN MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM PAY – 1:11.4 (18000 : 205400)

Demand of the JCM (SS) – 1:8

  1. NUMBER OF PAY SCALES – NOT REDUCED – NO DELAYERING

JCM(SS) demand – pay scales with grade pay 1900, 2000, 4600, 8700 and the pay scale 75500-80000 to be abolished.

  1. ALLOWANCES – NO IMPROVEMENT

Commission recommended abolition of 52 existing allowances such as Assisting Cashier Allowance, Cash Handling Allowance, Treasury Allowance, Handicapped Allowance, Risk Allowance, Savings Bank Allowance, Special compensatory (Hill Area) Allowance, Cycle Allowance, Family Planning Allowance etc.

  1. HRA REDUCED TO 24%, 16% AND 8% FOR X, Y AND Z CITIES

JCM (SS) demand – Existing HRA of 30% (for X class cities with population 50 lakhs and above), 20% (for Y class cities with population of 5 lakhs to 50 lakhs) and 10% (for Z class cities with less than 5 lakhs population) may be increased to 60%, 40% and 20%.

  1. DRIVERS – HIGHER PAY SCALE REJECTED
  1. DA FORMULA – NO CHANGE
  1. HBA – NO CHANGE – CEILING RAISED TO 25 LAKHS
  1. CASUAL LEAVE – NO INCREASE
  1. CHILD Care Leave

1st 365 days – Full pay (100%)

Next 365 days – 80% Pay only.

  1. MATERNITY LEAVE – NO CHANGE
  1. LEAVE ENCASHMENT AT THE TIME OF RETIREMENT – NO INCREASE MAXIMUM 300 DAYS ONLY
  1. MEDICAL

Medical Insurance Scheme for serving and retired employees recommended.

  1. TRANSPORT ALLOWANCE – NO HIKE –  ONLY 125% MERGER
Pay Level Higher Transport Allowance cities (A, AI) Other places
9 and above 7200 + DA 3600 + DA
3 to 8 3600 + DA 1800 + DA
1 and 2 1350 + DA 900 + DA
  1. LEAVE TRAVEL CONCESSION (LTC) – NO CHANGE

One time LTC to Foreign Country during the service rejected. Splitting of Home Town LTC for employees Posted in North East, Laddakh, Andaman & Nicobars and Lakshdweep allowed.

  1. ACCOUNTS STAFF BELONGING TO UNORGANIZED ACCOUNTS – PARITY WITH ORGANISED ACCOUNTS REJECTED.
  1. PERIODICAL REVIEW OF WAGES (NOT TEN YEARS) RECOMMENDED. NO PAY COMMISSION REQUIRED
  1. PERFORMANCE RELATED PAY SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND ALL BONUS PAYMENT SHOULD BE LINKED TO PRODUCTIVITY.

JCM (SS) demand – No Performance related Pay. Productivity Linked Bonus for all.

  1. COMPULSORY RETIREMENT AND EFFICIENCY BAR REINTRODUCED

Failure to get required bench mark for promotion within the first 20 years of service will result in stoppage of increment. Such employees who have out lived their ability, their services need not be continued and the continuance of such persons in the service should be discouraged.

  1. PROMOTEE AND DIRECT RECRUITS – ENTRY LEVEL PAY ANOMALY IS REMOVED

JCM (SS) demand – the differential entry pay between new recruits and promoted employees should be done away with.

  1. CADRE REVIEW TO BE COMPLETED IN A TIME BOUND MANNER.

Commission recommended to hasten the process of cadre review and reduced the time taken in inter-ministerial consultations.

  1. NEW PENSION SCHEME – WILL CONTINUE
  1. CEA & HOSTEL SUBSIDY

Rate

CEA per month             2250 – 25% increase when DA crosses 50%

Hostel subsidy              6750 – 25% increase when DA crosses 50%

  1. GROUP INSURANCE SCHEME

Level                    Monthly Contribution           Insurance Amount

1 to 5                   1500                                       15 Lakhs

6 to 9                   2500                                       25 lakhs

10 and above      5000                                       50 lakhs

 

PENSIONARY BENEFITS

  1. PENSIONERS – PARITY – LONG STANDING DEMAND OF THE PENSIONERS ACCEPTED

Commission recommends a revised Pension Formulation for Civil employees and Defence Personnel who have retired before 01.01.2016. (expected date of implementation of seventh CPC recommendations). This formulation will bring about complete parity of past pensioners with current retirees.

  1. PENSIONERS – MINIMUM PENSION RS. 9000/-

(50% of the minimum pay recommended by the 7th CPC)

  1. PENSIONERS – GRATUITY CEILING RAISED TO 20 LAKHS
  1. PENSIONERS – FIXED MEDICAL ALLOWANCE (FMA) – NO CHANGE (RS. 500/-)
  1. CGHS FACILITIES TO ALL POSTAL PENSIONERS RECOMMENDED

33 Postal dispensaries should be merged with CGHS

  1. GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS (GDS) OF THE POSTAL DEPARTMENT DEMAND FOR CIVIL SERVANTS STATUS REJECTED

Recommendation: – The committee carefully considered the demand for treating the Gramin Dak Sevaks as civil servants at par with other regular employees for all purposes, and noted the following:

(a)       GDS are Extra-Departmental Agents recruited by Department of Posts to serve in rural areas.

(b)       As per the Recruitment Rules the minimum educational qualification for recruitment to this post is class X.

(c)        GDS are required to be on duty only for 4 to 5 hours a day under the terms and conditions of their service.

(d)       The GDS are remunerated with Time Related continuity Allowance (TRCA) on the pattern of pay scales for regular Government employees plus DA on pro-rata basis.

(e)       A GDS must have other means of income independent of his remuneration as a GDS to sustain himself and his family.

Government of India has so far held that GDS is outside the Civil Service of the Union and shall not claim to be at par with the Central Government Employees. The Supreme Court Judgment also states that GDS are only holder of Civil posts but not civilian employees. The Commission endorses this view and therefore has no recommendation with regard to GDS.

Massive Protest Rally by the Central Government Employees

19 Thursday Nov 2015

Posted by in CG Employees, VII CPC

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Today, 19th November 2015, the capital city of Delhi witnessed a mighty demonstration of more than 6,000 central employees marching to Jantar Mantar and holding a massive rally as per the call of the National Joint Council of Action of the Staff Side of the Joint Consultative Machinery. AIRF, NFIR, AIDEF, Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers, NFPE, FNPO – all were part of this huge rally. Coms. Shiv Gopal Mishra (AIRF), Raghavaiah (NFIR), M.Krishnan, M.S.Raja (Confederation), Giriraj Singh, R.N.Parashar(NFPE), V.A.N.Nambodiri (NCCPA – Pensioners Organisation) and other leaders addressed. The speakers strongly condemned the anti-worker policies of the government.

The rally adopted a Memorandum for submission to the Finance Minister. The major demands in nutshell are given below:

  1. Effect wage revision from 01-01-2014. 5 year wage revision in future. Merger of 100% DA. Include Gramin Dak Sevaks in the ambit of VII CPC. Submit report immediately.
  2. No Privatisaion, PPP, FDI in Defence, Railways etc. No corporatisation of Postal services.
  3. No ban on recruitment
  4. Scrap PFRDA, Restore Defined Pension Scheme.
  5. No outsourcing, contractisation, privatisation of government functions.
  6. Review functioning of JCM at all levels.
  7. Remove arbitrary ceiling on Compassionate Ground Appointments.
  8. No labour reforms against the interest of workers.
  9. Remove bonus ceiling
  10. Ensure Five Promotions in Career.

The rally called upon the workers ready for a serious struggle, including strike for achieving he above demands.

VII Central Pay Commission submitted its Recommendations

19 Thursday Nov 2015

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The Chairman of the VII Central Pay Commission  Justice Mathur has submitted its report to the Finance Minister Arun Jaitely today by about 19.30 hours. Only certain brief points have been mentioned by the Chairman in his press conference.

According to the recommendations, the lowest pay will be Rs. 18,000. Annual increment will be @  3%. The Pay Band and Grade Pay has been abolished and the basic pay as earlier will continue. A fitment of about 15% will be there. The recommendations will be implemented from 01-01-2016.

Finance Minister stated that  an amount of Rs. 1.02  lakh crore will be required to implement the recommendations, including payment of pension to about 52 lakh pensioners. Further details are expected.

The Central Government employees, including Railways, Defence, Postal etc. had organised a massive dharna in Delhi today participated by more than six thousand workers as per the call of the National Joint Council of Action, protesting against the delay of the report as also against the meagre increase proposed and against FDI increase, privatisation, disinvesment etc.

Mininum Wage of Rs.15,000

18 Wednesday Nov 2015

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What about minimum wage of Rs. 15,000 for contract workers, Prime Minister?
Reduction and waival of tax of lakhs of crores of rupees to corporate houses and MNCs are going on. This is going to increase after BJP’s Bihar election debacle to show that reforms continue.
But what about justified wages to contract workers?

Workers angry at 15% fitment

18 Wednesday Nov 2015

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The central govt. employees are angry at the meagre increase of only 15% fitment during last 10 years as roecommended VII CPC as per reports in the press.
As per call of Staff Side of National Council JCM,  massive dharna will be organised at Jantar Mantar on 19 November  2015.

AIBDPA Circle Conference Rajasthan at Jaipur

18 Wednesday Nov 2015

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The Circle Conference of AIBDPA Rajasthan Circle was held at Community Hall, P and T Colony Jaipur on 18 November 2015. Com. K.P.Sharma, President, presided. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA, inaugurated the conference. He spoke in detail about the issues of pensioners, VII CPC, All India Conference and organisational matters. The report presented by Circle Secretary, S.K.Anand was approved by the house. Delegates seriously participated in the discussions. Coms
Ashok Pareek, Circle Secretary, RG Dixit, Circle Secretary, NFTE, Rasheed Khan, AGS TEPU and other leaders addressed.
Office bearers with Com.K.P.Sharma as Circle President and Com.M.K.Nagpal as Circle Secretary were unanimously elected.

Congratulations to T.Nadu Comrades

18 Wednesday Nov 2015

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T.Nadu, Chennai and nearby places especially have been hit with very heavy rain. Houses have been evacuated, roads are flooded and life has been completely shattered. Many valuable lives have been lost.
BSNLEU T.Nadu Circle union colletced donations and has distributed about Rs. One lakh to the people in the flood affected areas of Cuddalore.
Our hearty congratulations to Com.Babu Radhakrishnan, Circle Secretary BSNLEU and his team of workers for this good deed!