14 Tuesday Jan 2014
Posted in PSU, TU News - India
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On the eve of the All India Strike call given by the United Forum of Banks Unions (UFBU), the Indian Banks Association (IBA) will meet the union representatives and start discussions. The call is given for strike on 20th January 2014.
The decision to have the discussions prior to the strike was agreed by both the parties in the meeting called by the CLC yesterday, 13th January. The main issue is about the % of fitment in the Five year Wage Agreement to be effective from 01-01-2012.
14 Tuesday Jan 2014
Posted in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation
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The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the organisation of the private GSM Operators has opposed the proposal of the GoM on Revival of BSNL, MTNL to mandate the Central and State Governments and their PSUs to compulsorily use the PSU telephones.
There is no logic in their opposition. The private companies are continuously seeking all kinds of relaxation whether it is on tax, licence charges or revenue sharing. In addition, they manipulate the accounts to pay less to the government. A large number of cases are pending in this way. They want all benefits, but they oppose even a small benefit for the telecom PSUs.
The Government should immediately take decision on the proposal of the GoM and make it compulsory for all the Governments and PSUs compulsorily take the BSNL MTNL telephones and telecom services for their use.
14 Tuesday Jan 2014
Posted in History, Obituary, Tributes, Uncategorized
The life, revolutionary activities and martyrdom of Shaheed Bhagat Singh for a free India is always an inspiration to generations and generations of the people of India.
I was going through the book “Bhagat Singh on the Path of Liberation”, edited by Shri Shiv Verma, a comrade-in-arms who was with Bhagat Singh in his activities and also in jail for a long period. The book was presented to me by Com.Rani Devi Prasad recently when I went to Chennai to attend a Convention.
The book is not the history of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. It is mostly articles written by him in the jail and also earlier. There is a 404 pages notes made by Bhagat Singh from the books he read in the jail. All these were either officially or through secret method brought out and kept by his comrades. But manuscripts of four books written by him in jail and brought out secretly – (1) The Ideal of Socialism (2) Autobiography (3) History of Revolutionary Movement in India and (4) At the Door of Death – were unfortunately destroyed. But many other articles are available and published in this book.
Within a short life of 23 years (1908-1931) Shaheed Bhagat Singh has achieved more than what can be done in a long life span. His family and surroundings, which were part of the freedom movement helped him to take the revolutionary path. He is referred to as terrorist by the British Rulers, but he was not a terrorist; He was a Revolutionary well studied in the path of Marxism and Leninism and followed the path unwaveringly till his end. Bhagat Singh endowed the Revolutionary Movement with three Slogans: (1) Long live Revolution (2) Long Live Proletariat and (3) Down With Imperialism. His writings published in the book fully confirm this.This book is not only worth reading, but is a must to read to understand the sacrifices made by a generation of young Revolutionaries who sacrificed every thing for the freedom of the motherland. It will inspire any Indian. My thanks to Comrade Rani Prasad for presenting the book to me.
The Certificate of Death of Bhagat Singh issued by the Superintendent of Lahore jail, reproduced in the book, is given below for record:
“I hereby Certify that the sentence of death passed on Bhagat Singh has been duly executed, and that the said Bhagat Singh was accordingly hanged by the neck till he was dead at Lahore Central
Jail on Monday the 23rd day of March 1931 at 7 P.M, that the body remained suspended for a full hour, and was not taken down until life was ascertained by a medical officer to be extinct; and that no accident, error or other misadventure occurred.”
Shaheed Rajguru and Sukhdev also were executed in the same way.
I will conclude with two quotations from the writings of Bhagat Singh which has been proved fully by time.
” My Name has become a symbol of Indian Revolution. The ideal and sacrifices of the Revolutionary Party have elevated me to a height beyond which I will never be able to rise if I live”.
” Bhagat Singh dead will be more dangerous to the British enslavers than Bhagat Singh alive. After I am hanged, the fragrance of my revolutionary ideas will permeate the atmosphere of this beautiful land of ours. It will intoxicate the youth and make him mad for freedom and revolution, and that will bring the doom of the British imperialists nearer. This is my firm conviction. I am anxiously waiting for the day when I will receive the highest award for my services to the country and my love for my people.”
How True. Generations after generations will remember and inspire from the great sacrifice of these martyrs.
Red Salute to the Martyrs!
13 Monday Jan 2014
Posted in News
The AAP Government in Delhi has cancelled the decision of the earlier Congress Government allowing 100% FDI in multi-brand retail. When the UPA government took the decision for 100% FDI in Multi-Brand Retail, there was strong opposition even from its allies. Most of the state governments under Congress implemented the same. Sheila Dikshit Government in Delhi not only implemented it, but also gave many more concessions.
The AAP Government has now cancelled the decision, which will help the retailers in a big way. Good action!
13 Monday Jan 2014
Posted in TU News - India
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The Board of Trustees of Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) which met today, 13th January has decided to give 8.75% interest to the account holders. Last year it was 8.5%. The Central Trade unions have been continuously demanding that it should be raised to 9.5% as earlier. 5 crore workers will benefit by this decision. The Finance ministry has to approve the decision of the Central Board of trustees, before the amount could be put in the accounts of the workers.
The EPFO is estimated to have an income of Rs 20,796.96 crore in the current financial year. Payment of interest at the rate of 8.5 per cent to subscribers would have required Rs 20,740 crore and left a surplus of Rs 56.96 crore, according to earlier projections. Now there may not be any extra balance.
13 Monday Jan 2014
Posted in General
The Supreme Court has given a very welcome judgement. In the Special Leave Petition filed by the Bank of Baroda against the decision of the Allahabad High Court upholding the decision of the Industrial Tribunal which ruled that the denial of superannuation benefits to the employee was neither legal nor justified.
The family of late S.K.Kool, who was removed from service and denied superannuation benefits approached the Industrial Tribunal for justice. The Industrial Tribunal ordered a favourable decision to the petitioners. The Bank went to the High Court and lost its appeal. then i went to the SC and lost there also. The Bank was also filed an amount of Rs. 50,000 towards cost.
The decision of the SC will benefit many retrenched/removed/dismissed workers.
13 Monday Jan 2014
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This is time of Festivals. My Best Wishes and greetings to all our best wishers, comrades and friends for Pongal, Makara sankranti, New Year and Milad-Ul-Nabi!
Have a happy time with the family and friends!
12 Sunday Jan 2014
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Unable to meet the Disinvestment target of Rs.40,000 crore this financial year, the government has started harassing the PSUs to somehow get the money from them. Disinvestment in coal could not take place due to the strong opposition from the workers. Now the disinvestment in IOC also could not take place.
In this situation, the government is asking all the cash rich PSUs to provide funds to the government either through disinvestment, ross-holding or special dividend.
This has been what happened to BSNL also. The government took away all the cash through Spectrum charges, notional loan, interest and so on. Now BSNL is not having funds to expand and even to pay the wages of the employees. The government wants all the PSUs to reach that position so that privatisation will be easy and the corporates and big business can maximise their profits.
12 Sunday Jan 2014
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A PTI report about the shifting of farmers from agriculture in large numbers due to loss and other problems shows under how much difficulty the farmers are and the government is taking care of them. The report is reproduced below:
Coimbatore: Jan 12: Nearly 8.67 lakh farmers have quit agriculture and shifted to other sectors during the last 10 years in Tamil Nadu as per the 2011 census, a farmer’s body leader said today.
Federation of Tamil Nadu Agricultural Associations Secretary S Nallasami said that the Census suggested that from 2001 to 2011, 8,67,582 farmers have stopped agriculture due to various reasons, including huge loss.
Moreover, there was an increase in the number of agricultural labourers during the period, as the farmers sell their land to real estate and prefer to work on daily wage, he said in a release here.
He attributed the reason for the plight of the farmers to wrong import policy of the Centre, unremunerative prices for farmers’ produce, industrialistion and urbanisation, coupled with the failure to divert the rain and other waters going to sea to the farmers’ fields, by linking rivers.
On fixing prices for the produce, like sugarcane, Nallasami said while the Government was implementing the recommendations of the Pay commission immediately, it was not bothered about the suggestions of the Commission for Agriculture Cost and Price, leaving the farmers in the lurch and at the mercy of the middlemen.
12 Sunday Jan 2014
Posted in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers
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The Circle Conference of W.Bengal BSNLCCWF was held on 11-12 January 2014 at Kolkata. There was massive participation in the Open session. More than 1000 workers participated. 310 delegates attended. Com. Govinda Das, Circle President presided.
The Conference was inaugurated by Com.Animesh Mitra, Dy.GS BSNLEU and Vice-President BSNLCCWF. Coms. Saibal SenGupta, Om Prakash Singh, Adhir Kumar Sen, Circle Secretaries of BSNLEU, Biplab Das, Tapos Banerjee, Circle Secretary BSNLCCWF Kolkata and other leaders addressed.
The Report presented by Com. Tapas Ghosh, Circle secretary was adopted after discussion. The conference discussed about the issues of the casual and contract workers and took appropriate decisions.
The Conference unanimously elected Coms. Govinda Das and Tapas Ghosh as President and Circle Secretary respectively.
Congratulations to the W.Bengal comrades who have conducted the Circle Conference successfully.
