BSNL – Utilise the Works Committees effectively and positively

19 Tuesday May 2015

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

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At last,  the BSNL Management has issued strict instructions to hold the Works Committees in all SSAs without fail. Reports  have been called for about whether such committees have already been formed  and whether such meetings  are taking place etc. The Staff Side, National Council has been demanding the holding of the Works Committees for a very long time. The order has come now, though delayed.

It is for the workers and the management to utilise the Works Committee to maximum benefit of the company and for better service. The Committee is intended to discuss the issues connected with the development, expansion of services, efficiency etc. and not for staff issues. For Staff issues, there is the Local Council. The Unions can bring to the notice of the management, the difficulties being experienced including lack of equipment etc. as also where and how to expand the services, provide new connections etc. Management can utilise the opportunity in explaining the developmental plans etc. , how to provide better service and so on.

If both the management and the unions/staff side plan well, discuss and find out solutions for the problems, it will be a great achievement. It is not a blame game. Our maximum efforts should be to find out ways and means for a better service to the customers, expansion of services and more revenue for the company so that BSNL can come of the present financial crisis.

125th Birth Anniversary of Ho-Chi- Minh on 19th May 2015

19 Tuesday May 2015

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  1. Ho-Chi-Minh19th May 2015 is the 125th Birth Anniversary of Ho-Chi-Minh, the Revolutionary Leader who fought against French and US imperialists and got freedom for Vietnam. The Father and architect of  Socialist Vietnam, he is remembered world over as the comrade who preached and implemented Socialism and lived as the simplest of the common people.
    Red Salute to Comrade Ho-chi-Minh or Uncle Ho, as he was popularly called.

Special Post Stamp of the WFTU’s 70th Anniversary now available!

19 Tuesday May 2015

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Special Post Stamp of the WFTU’s 70th Anniversary now available!

18 May 2015

70 ANNIVERSARY, STAMP

One of the remarkable initiatives undertaken in honor of the 70 years of militant and internationalist struggle of the WFTU is now completed.

The WFTU in coordination with Hellenic Post (Public Postal Company of Greece) has printed and released a Special Collectable Stamp for International Mail in honor of the WFTU’s 70th Anniversary.

Organizations and trade unions interested to receive the stamp can send their Postal Address in the email:press@wftucentral.org . A letter from the Central Offices will be sent to them with the Special Stamp on the envelope.

THE SECRETARIAT WFTU

Salutation to the Nurses who kept Aruna Shaunbag alive and nursed for long 42 years!

19 Tuesday May 2015

Posted by in General, History

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Aruna-Shanbaug

It is nothing short of a miracle or the pinnacle of sacrifice and dedication. Three generations of nurses in KEM Hospital Mumbai kept their almost unconscious colleague Aruna Shaunbag alive for long 42 years , after a brutal  assault on her by a Hospital Ward Boy  on 27th November 1973. She died on 18th May 2015, mourned by not only the staff of KEM Hospital, but the entire humanity.

I salute the nursing community, who have once again shown that they are the real inheritors of the ‘Lady of the Lamp’.

Great Victory! BSNL C.O. issued orders for EPF Payment to Casual labours from 01-10-2000

18 Monday May 2015

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU

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It is a great victory for the BSNLCCWF and the casual and contract workers! The Federation as well as BSNLEU has been demanding that for the casual and contract workers EPF should be implemented from at least 01-10-2000. After much efforts, the BSNL Management had implemented EPF for casual workers from 10-01-2011. In many places EPF was not implemented to the contract workers.

These along many other issues were taken by the BSNL Casual & Contract Workers Federation with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour and also the Central Provident Fund Commissioner, New Delhi. The representatives gave detailed evidence before Parliamentary Standing Committee with full documents. The EPF Commissioner held meeting with the President BSNLCCWF and Officers of BSNL on this. Accordingly the EPF Commissioner (Central) issued a strong letter dated 22-04-2015 to BSNL asking them to implement EPF to casual labours w.e.f.01-10-2000 (the date of formation of BSNL) retrospectively. It was also directed that wherever, EPF is not implemented for contract workers, it should be implemented as per EPF Act.

Now today, 18-05-2015, the BSNL C.O. has issued the orders directing the CGMs to immediately take action for implementing EPF for casual labours w.e.f. 01-10-2000 and also implement EPF for contract workers, wherever it is not implemented so far. Not only the EPF contributions will be made by BSNL management, but interest also will have to be paid, which will benefit the workers. The EPF with  retrospective effect from 2000 will benefit the existing 3469 casual labours.

The mammoth CMD Office March on 15th October 2014  and the Two Days Strike on 21-22 April 2015 by the Casual & Contract Workers have not been in vain. At least one of the important demands has been settled.

It is a land mark victory for the casual and contract workers! Congratulations to all our comrades who stood strongly with the organisation and participated in the struggles!

Private telecom companies are allowed to reap undue benefits by DOT.

18 Monday May 2015

Posted by in BSNL News, General, Telecom

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Reproducing below a report from “Business Line” on the CAG report on Telecom.   

“The Telecom Ministry has sought legal opinion on a CAG report that stated undue benefits were extended to companies including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, RCom and Tata Teleservices on a number of issues.

According to a source: “The Ministry has sought legal opinion on the matter so as to undertake further course of action.”

Taking note of CAG’s findings, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has asked the ministry officials to seek legal opinion, sources said.

Raising concerns over various policy issues in the telecom sector, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has recently flagged financial gaps to the tune of over ₹31,000 crore including towards non-imposition of fines and the undue gains to private operators.

Reliance Jio Infocomm got undue benefit of ₹3,367.29 crore after the Department of Telecom (DoT) allowed it to provide voice calling facility under the new licensing regime, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had said in its report.

Whereas Bharti Airtel made an undue gain of ₹499 crore because of DoT’s decision to merge Chennai telecom circle with Tamil Nadu in a hasty manner in 2005, the government auditor said.

Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices got undue benefit to the extent of ₹882.06 crore (2009-10 to 2013-14) after the DoT granted telecom licences for dual technology in October 2007/January 2008, the CAG said.

The companies concerned had maintained that there was no wrong doing on their part

The CAG had also said the DoT allowed operators to enter into mutual commercial agreements for intra-service area roaming in 2008 resulting in adverse financial impact on revenues.

The auditor had also highlighted undue favour to CDMA operators when the DoT decided not to auction 800 MHz spectrum for enhanced voice data optimised (EVDO) services in 2010 though they were providing 3G EVDO services with the available 2G spectrum (800 MHz) without liberalisation of spectrum.”

How the telecom department was supporting the private companies is very clear from the above report. While the government is not prepared to give any assistance to the BSNL, thousands of crores of rupees are allowed to be pocketed by private companies on various counts.

Full MNP by July 2015 – You can dial distant numbers without ‘0’ or ’91’

18 Monday May 2015

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Good News! At last full MNP is going to be implemented by July 2015. Once it is implemented there is no need to dial STD ‘0’ or ’91’. By dialing the 10 digit number you will get any number in India.

The private companies have been delaying implementation of MNP stating that much funds are required for the technical alternation for full MNP. It is hoped that they will not put more pressure on the government for further delay in  implementation of full MNP.

BSNL will post profit by 2018 – CMD BSNL

18 Monday May 2015

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‘”BSNL is Coming Back to Profits by 2018, according to Shri Anupam Shrivasatava, CMD BSNL. BSNL is targeted to taste the profits again with new strategies. BSNL is going to be one of the most prestigious and profit making company among other PSU’s and other telecom service providers.”

This is a report in the media. We hope that the new strategies and plans of the new CMD BSNL will bear fruits. Workers are prepared to fully co-operate.

Com. B.G.Tamhankar, former NFPE President no more

18 Monday May 2015

Posted by in Obituary, Tributes

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With extreme sorrow it is intimated that Comrade B.G.Tamhankar, former President of NFPE, passed away on 17-05-2015.

My Heartfelt Condolences to the bereaved family and comrades!

 

One Rank One Pension for Armed Forces cleared by Cabinet

18 Monday May 2015

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, Pension

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The Central Government has cleared the ‘One Rank One Pension’ Scheme for the army personnel, which is a long pending demand of the armed forces. This is good news. An additional provision of Rs. 8,300 crores  have been made for this purpose.

OROP Scheme should be made applicable to the civil pensioners also. The Pensioners organisations have been making this demand for long.