On invitation from the T.Nadu Circle Union, AIBDPA, I had the opportunity to attend the Circle Working Committee Meeting of AIBDPA. at Tiruchirappally on 19th November 2021. In my inaugural speech , I touched upon the major issues of the pensioners, including Pension Revision, Medical Allowance, Medical Bills, Anomalies etc.

Com.C.K.Narasimhan, Circle President presided. Com. N.Kuppusamy, Circle Secretary presented the report since the last CWC. Com.S.Mohandoss, All India Vice-President and Com. Pankajavalli, All India Asst Treasurer addressed. The working committee discussed important issues and took decisions to improve the membership and increase the subscribers to Tele-Pensioner.

For the first time in the history of 21 years of BSNL, the number of executives has surpassed that of non-executives. The number of executives is 36,101 and that of non-executives 35,341. When BSNL was formed it was almost 3.0 lakh non-executives and about 50,000 executives.

Years after years, the number of non-executives have been reduced by reducing the sanctioned posts, changing the standards of posts, not-filling up the vacancies as also not sanctioning any fresh posts. There is very less staff even to attend to regular immediate works. In addition, almost 60,000 or more contract workers have been retrenched.

This is another well planned programme to make BSNL most unviable. It has to be opposed and defeated.

Meeting held between the AUAB and the DoT.

A meeting is held today, 24th Nov. 2021, between the AUAB and the DoT. Shri Sajeev Gupta, DDG(PM), who is also looking after as the Joint Secretary (Admin.) and other officers participated. BSNL is represented by Ms. Anita Johri, Sr.GM(SR). All the General Secretaries / Representatives of the constituents of the AUAB participated in the meeting. The AUAB had given 7 agenda items for  discussion in this meeting. Detailed discussion is held in a cordial atmosphere.  A note on today’s discussion will be issued by the AUAB shortly. (Courtesy: BSNLEU website)

The staff has been reduced drastically after the VRS. At present the approved strength in 71,442 and the working strength 63525. At the time of formation of BSNL, it was almost 3.5lakh workforce.

Now that the trains have started running in a normal way, why the government is not restoring concession to senior citizens and other similar categories, which were withdrawn in February 2019. Govt. should restore the same with out further delay.

The annual State Convention of Senior Citizens Friends Welfare Association (SCFWA) will be held at Pappan Chettan Hall, Ernakulam (Near North Railway Station ) on 25th November 2021. Dr.R.Bindu, Minister for Higher Education and Social justice will inaugurate.

The Circle Convention of the Co-ordinating Committee , Kerala will be held at Ernakulam on 30th November 2021.

Consequent to central government decision to sell BSNL assets, Airtel, Vodafone and Idea increased mobile charges by 20 to 25%. If BSNL and MTNL are further weakened, the charges are liable to be increased by 5 to 10 times by private telcos. About 100 crore subscribers of private telecoms to be adversely affected.

Remember the continued increase of petrol, diesel and cooking gas after the oil prices were decontrolled.

24th November 2021 is the 67th Anniversary of the formation of National Federation of P & T Employees ( NFPTE), the mighty organisation which organised many historic struggles along with Confederation, raising the just and reasonable demands of Central govt employees.
NFPTE was formed in 1954 by merging all existing unions in P&T Department. Unions in P&T were formed as early as the first decade of 20th century and organised many struggles in the first two decades and achieved important demands. Babu Tarapada Mukherjee, Henry Barton and V.G.Dalvi were the founding fathers of the three main unions. Some of these leaders also were part of formation of AITUC, the first Trade Union in the country. The epic 22 days struggle of P&T workers in 1946 in which the British rulers were compelled to concede all the demands raised, is considered as part of Independence Struggle.
Formation of NFPTE in 1954 and Confederation of CG Employees in 1956 gave a new life to the central govt employees movement. The result was the magnificient strikes of 1960 and 1968 in which a number of comrades became martyrs for the cause of the working class. The main demands were needbased minimum wage and DA according to cost of living index.
The second demand is achieved and struggles continue for the first. Of course, much improvement have taken place and the demand is now raised by the entire working class.
The heroic strike of 1974 was another mile stone. The railway workers were the real heroes who fought till the last. The strike was brutally suppressed by the government, but the demand of was achieved by 1979.
Comrades Dada Ghosh, O.P.Gupta, K.G.Bose,P.S.R.Anjaneyulu, N.J.Iyer, K.Adinarayana and many others led the movement through those difficult times.
Consequent to bifurcation of P&T Department, NFPTE was bifurcated in to NFPE and NFTE in 1986. The history of both is also that of struggles, although vaccilation took place sometimes. After formation of BSNL, the newly formed BSNL Employees Union has become the true inheritor of the valiant tradition of NFPTE in the telecom sector.

Since 1991, both the UPA as well as NDA govts had aggressively taken the disastorous path of globalisation, privatisation and liberalisation causing more and more misery to the people. Public Sector Units are being privatised. The present Modi Govt has declared that ‘ business is not the business of the govt’ and is selling the PSUs to corporates for a song. Rights of workers are being curtailed. Working class as well as Kisans are on struggles for existence. P&T workers are also part of this great struggle.

On this 67th anniversary of NFPTE we salute all those leaders and workers who lived and showed a dedicated and militant path for the future generations. Red Salute to those martyrs who sacrificed their valuable lives so that the future generations may live a better life.

( A few copies of the book ‘ HISTORY OF P&T TRADE UNION MOVEMENT’ authored by V.A.N.Namboodiri with introduction by Com.A.K.Padmanabhan, then President CITU and Com. (Late) M.Krishnan, then Secretary General Confederation of CG Employees & Workers and published by Com.R.N.Parashar, SG NFPE are available with CHQ NFPE Delhi for sale).

V.A.N.Namboodiri