Revival of BSNL – Post Card Campaign 10 -22 August 2015

07 Friday Aug 2015

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News, BSNLEU, Forum

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Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations has decided to organise a Post Card campaign from 10th to 22nd August 2015 on the issue of revival of BSNL.

The Posts Cards are to be addressed to “Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Communications Minister, Sanchar Bhawan, 20, Ashoka Road, New Delhi -110001” with the following content:

“Hon’ble Minister of Communications & IT is requested to immediately settle the demands submitted by the Forum, for the revival of BSNL.”

The name, designation and station of the employees should be mentioned. The address, the content and the name of the employee – all should be hand-written. The intention is that all the 2.25 lakh employees should be party to this massive campaign and pressurise the Government to take immediate action for the revival of BSNL. The campaign can be planned in many ways by organising GB meetings, meeting each and every employee, issuing pamphlets, press releases etc. etc. This is part of the Save BSNL Campaign.

The Government should be waken up from its slumber and compelled to take necessary action for the Revival of BSNL as demanded by the Forum in its Charter of Demands earlier.

Kerala BSNL Strike – Agreement Reached: Agitation withdrawn : Congratulations!

07 Friday Aug 2015

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU

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Hearty Congratulations to the Kerala BSNL Workers! Agreement reached between the Circle management and Unions – Strike and agitation withdrawn.

We heartily Congratulate the casual and contract workers and employees of Kerala Circle for their great victory. Agreement has been reached between the three unions, BSNLCCWF, BSNLEU, SNEA and BSNL Circle management on the demands of the casual and contract workers as also in vacating the victimisation.

After the transfer of MSS Rao, CGM, the new CGM in-charge Shri Subbaiah had discussions with the unions represented by Coms. K.Mohanan, CS, BSNLEU, Sudheer, President, SNEA, Somasekharan Nair, CS CCLU at 17.30 hours. The following agreement was reached:

  1. Rs.100/- will be increased in daily wage of contract workers from the present Rs. 336/-
  2. A Committee including the Management and the representatives of the 3 unions is constituted to discuss on the demands of the workers.
  3. All the victimisation imposed in connection with the present agitation will be vacated.
  4. All the victimisation imposed on SNEA leaders in the last SNEA struggle will be vacated.
  5. The Strike of the CCLU and the Hunger Strike by BSNLEU and SNEA are withdrawn on the basis of the agreement.

We Congratulate the valiant workers of Kerala for their great Victory! We thank the CHQ of all the concerned unions for the effort made by them for seriously taking up the issue with the CMD. We thank all the unions, associations and individuals for supporting and helping the struggle!

We also thank the CMD BSNL for his intervention and strong action to settle the issues and save the BSNL services in Kerala.

Impact of Kerala BSNL Strike – MSS Rao, CGM, Kerala shifted

07 Friday Aug 2015

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU

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The sustained struggle including strike by the employees as also casual and contract workers in Kerala had its effect at last. MSS Rao, CGM, Kerala, whose anti-worker actions and victimisation of union workers and leaders, has been directed by the Corporate office today, to proceed on leave immediately handing over the charge to Shri Subbiah, next senior officer. Transfer order will be issued after deciding the place of posting.

Yesterday, we had pointed out, that there is no other way, but to transfer the arrogant officer, since not only victimisation was taking place, but the entire services in Kerala were being adversely affected by his wrong decisions.

We congratulate the BSNL workers of Kerala for the sustained struggles and also the CHQ for ensuring that an opening has been made to settle the immediate issues, by the transfer of the CGM Kerala.

We hope that the new BSNL Kerala Circle in-Charge will start immediate discussion with the unions and settle the fully justified demands of the workers.

No struggle is in vain. The result will come soon or later.

Shift anti-worker CGM – No other option to save Kerala BSNL Circle

07 Friday Aug 2015

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The CCLU workers as well BSNL employees in Kerala are on struggle for the last one month. The complete strike by the casual contract workers and Hunger Strike by the leaders of BSNLEU and SNEA against vindictiveness of and victimisation by CGM Kerala is continuing for the last four days almost paralysing the BSNL services. While the CCLU is on strike for better wages and upgradation from unskilled to skilled category as also for implementation of the strike agreement made earlier,  the employees are on agitation against victimisation and harassment of leaders and workers of the unions. Any sensible management would have discussed the issues with the unions and found a settlement. Despite one month of struggle, no worthwhile discussion has taken place.

The assurances given by the Communications Minister to the Kerala M.P.s as well as the assurances given by the CMD to the leaders of BSNLCCWF, BSNLEU and SNEA are not honoured by the CGM Kerala. Shri MSS Rao, CGM Kerala is acting beyond his powers and has already made the entire employees against him by his arrogant and anti-workers decisions. We do not know, whether he is acting in such a way as to help the private companies and sabotage the services to the people so that the one circle, which has always been profitable is also made in to loss.

The workers and the trade unions in Kerala can not allow such a situation. It is a circle which has sent out such arrogant bureaucrats in the past, whether they were in P and T, AGs Office or elsewhere. We usually do not demand for the transfer of an officer. But now, he has crossed every limit and there is no other way except that the present CGM should be packed and sent out of Kerala, if the circle is to be saved. The Minister and CMD should ensure that he is transferred immediately from the circle. Nothing less than that is acceptable to the workers.

We demand the Minister and the CMD to immediately transfer Shri MSS Rao, CGM from Kerala Circle to outside.

WFTU Supports General Strike in India on 2nd September 2015

06 Thursday Aug 2015

Posted by in Neo-liberal policy, TU News - International, WFTU, WORLD NEWS

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The WFTU has issued the following statement on 03 Aug 2015:
The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) that represents more than 92 million workers all over the world expresses its strong solidarity with our class brothers and sisters of India, who prepare a National General Strike for September 2nd.

During the last years India has met great financial rise. It is member of BRICS, has nuclear arsenal and space program. But this financial boom is not a benefit for most of the one billion people of India. Skyscrapers are built next to the slums. Extreme wealth is gathered next to starving people. While the rich become richer, the wretched are once more the victims. The growth of the capitalist economy is always based on the escalation of the exploitation of the working class. Today that India and its bourgeois political forces take pride on the economic and military strength of the Indian Nation; the vast majority of the people live the contradiction of pauperization.

In these conditions the struggle and the demands of the Trade Union movement of India is just. The WFTU affiliates in India have been preparing this strike for months, showing the determination and the will of the class forces to mobilize the great force of the working people. The success of the National General Strike in India, on September 2nd will be a success for the working class of the world.

Especially this year, when the WFTU celebrates its 70th Year Anniversary, we would like to highlight the historic contribution of the class trade union movement of India to the World Federation since its foundation. It is a fact that without the struggles and the contribution of the trade union movement of India, the international class trade union movement would not be the same.

The WFTU expresses its internationalist support and solidarity to the struggle of its Indian brothers and calls all trade union organizations of WFTU to stand in solidarity with the National Strike of the Indian working class.

Long Live International Solidarity! Long Live the class trade union movement of India! All success to the National General Strike of September 2nd!

‘Hiroshima Day’ observed in Japan

06 Thursday Aug 2015

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Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima – Doves being released on 6th August 2015

Tens of thousands of people observed  a minute  silence at 8-30 a.m. on 6th August 2015 at the ceremony in Hiroshima’s peace park near the epicentre of the 1945 dropping of the atom bomb by USA, marking the moment of the atomic blast. Then dozens of doves were released as a symbol of peace.

The U.S. bomb, “Little Boy,” the first one dropped in Hiroshima  killed 140,000 people, and a second bomb “Fat Man,” dropped over Nagasaki three days later, killed another 70,000, first of such attacks in any war.

 

Forum calls for protest demonstration on 12th August against formation of Tower Company – BSNLCCWF will also participate.

06 Thursday Aug 2015

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU, Forum

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Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations has called upon the BSNL employees to organise massive protest demonstrations on 12th August 2015 opposing the approval of the union cabinet to separate the BSNL towers, numbering about 65,000 in to a separate company bifurcating BSNL. The decision of the Cabinet stating that this will improve financial viability is nothing but a clever move to weaken the BSNL by reducing its revenue from the existing towers. The decision of the Forum to express its protest is in time.

BSNLCCWF calls upon its units to join the demonstrations on 12th August along with BSNL employees.

Protest Cabinet decision to form Tower Company, bifurcating BSNL

06 Thursday Aug 2015

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It is reported that the Central Cabinet in its meeting on 5th August 2015 has decided to form a Tower Company, separating the tower section of BSNL. This is one of the recommendations of the Deloittee Committee and which has been strongly opposed by the Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations. In the two days strike on 21-22 April 2015 called by the Forum, one of the demands was that the proposal to form a Tower Company should be dropped.

BSNL has got about 75,000 towers which will be handed over to the new company along with a few officers and staff. The new company may be financially viable, but the the revenue of BSNL will come down drastically making its revival difficult. The Modi government wants to seal the fate of BSNL as the earlier BJP government has sealed the fate of VSNL by gifting it to Tata. There is no VSNL now, only Tata Communications. We can not allow such a fate for BSNL.

Strong protest action is required to put a stop to this Cabinet decision. BSNL workers under the Forum have stopped Disinvestment of and VRS in BSNL through continuous and mighty struggles. Now it is the turn against the formation of the Tower Company. Any delay will be dangerous for the revival of BSNL.

Modi Government Dishonours Assurances – Betrayal to BSNL

06 Thursday Aug 2015

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News, BSNLEU, Forum

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It is reported that the Cabinet yesterday has decided to grant Rs. 169.16 crores to BSNL, as part of the refund for the BMW Spectrum surrendered by BSNL. BSNL surrendered the spectrum years back and the more than Rs. 4,700 are to be paid to BSNL for the same after the DOT has arbitrarily adjusted about Rs. 2,000 crore towards licence Fee to be paid by BSNL. The Communications Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad has been continuously declaring that financial assistance will be given to BSNL for revival, but what happens is that even the legitimate refund is not being paid. Is it that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not hearing Communication Minister or the the latter himself is against assisting the BSNL? Any way, the losers are BSNL, the employees and the public. The double face of the Modi Government is exposed fully, which only wants the MNCs and Corporates to grab maximum profits.

Rs. 1,250 crores already allotted for the financial year 2012-13 in lieu of ADC for BSNL is yet to be paid despite assurance from the DOT after the two days April Strike.

The Forum and BSNLEU will continue their sustained struggle for getting justice to BSNL and its workers. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TAKE THE WORKERS FOR GRANTED. THEY WILL FIGHT BACK FOR SURVIVAL!

Kerala BSNLCCWF Strike – Hunger Strike by BSNLEU, SNEA

06 Thursday Aug 2015

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU

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The Strike by the CCLU Kerala continues on the 4th day  with all the 6,000 and odd casual contract workers on full strike, which has completely paralysed the maintenance and development work in Kerala.

Com.K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU and Com. Sudheer, Circle President SNEA, Kerala who are on Hunger Strike for the 4th day have been arrested by the police and hospitalised after the doctors declared their condition serious. Com. Pratap Kumar, AGS, BSNLEU and Com. Prem Kumar from SNEA have started Hunger Strike in their place.

But the Circle management has not discussed the issues with the Unions so far. At New Delhi, Coms. P.Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU and K.Sebastian, GS, SNEA discussed the issue with senior officers of the BSNL, but no breakthrough so far. The CHQ leaders demanded the management to immediately take action to ensure that the issues are discussed and settled. The anti-worker actions of the CGM Kerala was fully exposed.

Today, 6th August, the AIBDPA leaders in Kerala are sitting in dharna in solidarity with the striking workers and supporting the demands of the casual contract workers. BSNLCCWF CHQ has called upon their units at Circle and SSA levels to organise Protest Demonstration on 7th August supporting the struggle and demanding the management to discuss and settle the issues. More and more support are coming from the working calss in kerala.

Congratulations to the Kerala BSNL employees and workers for the sustained struggles despite victimisation and terror tactics! We shall fight, We shall win!