BSNL Management calls Awareness Session

30 Saturday Nov 2013

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The BSNL Management conducted a Presentation and Awareness Session to the Unions/Associations in BSNL, today, 30th November 2013, to explain the action taken by the management on the expansion and development as also introduction new technologies etc. The meeting was held at the Conference Hall of the Bharat sanchar Bhawan, the BSNL Corporate Office, and continued from 1015 to 1500 hours.
The CMD Shri R.K.Upadhyay, Directors S/Shri A.N.Rai (Enterprises and HR), KCGK Pillai(Finance), N.K.Gupta (CFA) were present along with many senior officers of the Corporate office from the Management side. Shri Pillai, who is retiring from service today was given an affectionate farewell by the house. All the Unions /Associations of Non-Executives and Executives were invited to participate and attended.CMD presided over the function. On behalf of BSNL Employees Union Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President and P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary attended.

Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, Forum of BSNL Unions / Associations at the time of the start of the meeting itself circulated the management and all participants the note on the points on which actions have to be taken by the BSNL Management for Revival of BSNL and for providing a Better Service to the customers. A copy of the Declaration on “Revival of BSNL” adopted at the National Convention of BSNL Workers held on 3rd August 2013 at New Delhi was also circulated. This was appreciated by the management as well as the unions/associations.
The Management has intended the meeting as a one sided Presentation on the various issues. The CMD, Directors, certain CGMs and GM (SR) and others spoke detailing the developmental and other matters and sought the support of the
unions and associations in the matter. The Power presentation was well appreciated by the participants.
On behalf of the unions/associations, Com. Namboodiri, Convener, Forum, at the close of the meeting wanted one or two similar meetings in December / January to present the views of the unions/ associations on the proposals of the management as also other points. This was agreed to.

The meeting was a good step in the right direction.The details of the issues presented in the meeting will be published later.

Do not make Aadhar compulsory – CPI(M)

29 Friday Nov 2013

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Palakkad (Ker), Nov 29 CPI(M) has asked the Centre to withdraw its decision to make Aadhaar cards compulsory for providing various benefits like cooking gas subsidy to people.

A resolution adopted by the state plenum of the CPI(M) here yesterday alleged that Aadhaar had been made compulsory by the Centre without having the backing of any parliamentary legislation and in disregard to the repeated rulings of the Supreme Court on the issue.

Though a bill was introduced in Parliament on the matter, the report of the Standing Committee to which it was referred had negated the salient provisions of the bill, it said.

“The decision of oil companies to make Aadhaar-linked bank account compulsory for cooking gas subsidy is unacceptable as only 25 per cent of the country’s population had so far obtained the Aadhaar card. This means that the vast majority of the people are anxious whether they would continue
to receive the benefits for which they are entitled,” it said.

The party alleged that it is part of the government’s neo-liberal policy of phasing out subsidies and welfare payments.

“The Government’s decision to set a time-frame for linking the benefits with Aadhaar has caused serious concern among the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes,” it said.

“The Government has been pressurising the people to open bank accounts and link them to Ahdaar card. Instead of allowing the people to open zero-balance accounts, many banks are insisting they should deposit Rs 500 to Rs 1000 to open the accounts”, the Resolution said.

An Exhibition of 150 years of Western Railway

29 Friday Nov 2013

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The Railways flagged off its first train in India on 16th April 1853 from Boribunder (the present Mumbai CST Station) to Tannah (present Thane).
The Western Railway( formerly BB&CI) is celebrating its 150th anniversary and they have arranged an exhibition at Church gate station. The exhibition will be worthwhile to see. But it is only for two days. Too short.

BALCO and Hindustan Zinc will now be fully sold

29 Friday Nov 2013

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The selling spree of PSUs by the Government continues at fast pace.
51% shares of BALCO and 65% of Hindustan Zinc have been sold to the Vedanta Group of Companies during the NDA period. there was sustained struggles against the sale of BALCO by its employees as also by the Central TUs. It was sold for a meagre amount of Rs. 551 crores to Sterlite ( which is now part of Vedanta), almost half of the market price. 65% of Hindustan Inc was sold for Rs. 750 crore in the same way.

Now the Government is proposing to completely sell the shares to the company and fully privatise. The Government expects to get about Rs. 20,000 crore through this sale. But that is doubtful since, it is a deal between the government and Vedanta and certainly the government will agree for lesser price.

It is not the question of the price alone. It is the question of handing over the nation’s wealth to private companies to maximise their profits. We strongly oppose the move to full sell the PSUs to the private.

UN Committee proposes Resolution on Women’s Rights

29 Friday Nov 2013

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The UN General Assembly Committee has proposed a land mark resolution on the Rights of Women. It strongly condemns any form to criminalise, stigmatise or curtails women’s Human Rights. This will help and inspire the fight of the women world over for their human rights.

Group of Ministers on Telecom will finalise M&A Norms

29 Friday Nov 2013

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The meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Telecom, which is scheduled to meet on 3rd December 2013 is expected to finalise the norms for Mergers & Acquisitions for the telecom industry. Now that the telecom situation in the country, the spectrum auction etc. is almost normalised, the chance for M&A have increased.
The Telecom Commission may put certain conditions for the M&A in connection with the % of assets of the merging company, the charges for the spectrum allocation etc. so that there is no discrimination between the single technology operator and the double technology operator. The former company may have only GSM or CDMA, while the latter will have both GSM and CDMA.

Contract Workers agitate in Maharashtra

29 Friday Nov 2013

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Contract Workers in Maharashtra Decide Long March

522 delegates, including large number of women, coming from deferent industries and centres in 11 districts of Maharashtra – Mumbai, Nashik, Aurangabad, Pune, Shindhu Durg, Nagpur, Satara, Thane, Sangali, Jalna and Raigad – attended a state level convention of contract workers under CITU banner on 26 October at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) township in Raigad district. The convention was presided over by CITU vice president K.L. Bajaj.

Inaugurating the convention, CITU general secretary Tapan Sen, MP explained various stages of struggles of the working class since early ‘90s against neoliberal policies especially referring to two nationwide workers agitation and strike in 2012 and in 2013, organized unitedly by all the central trade unions; and on the positive role of trade unions in Maharashtra in these. Tapan Sen demanded of UPA’s central and Congress-NCP’s Maharashtra state governments to settle the just demands of contract workers and effectively enforce law. CITU state general secretary Dr. D.L. Karad moved the convention resolution which recorded the acute and worsening problems of contract workers, appointed even in jobs in permanent and perennial nature of work; in violation of laws denying benefits like PF, ESIS, bonus, gratuity and minimum wages etc; denying the application of the principle of same wage for same work to the contract workers. The enforcement machineries of the state and central governments are helping the employers instead of taking actions against them for violation of labour laws.

5 Years Wage Settlement in Port & Docks w.e.f. 01-01-2012

29 Friday Nov 2013

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Wage Settlement for Port & Dock Workers
A wage settlement for port and dock workers was signed on 25 October in presence of the chief labour commissioner (central). On behalf of the workers, the members in the Bipartite Wage Negotiating Committee (BWNC) – 5 from All India Port & Dock Workers Federation (HMS), 2 from All India Port & Dock Workers Federation (Workers) (HMS), 2 from Indian National Port & Dock Workers Federation (INTUC), 2 from Water Transport Workers Federation of India (CITU) and 1 from Port, Dock & Waterfront Workers Federation of India (AITUC) signed the settlement.

Highlights of the Settlement: – (i) Duration of the settlement – 5 years effective from 1 January, 2012; (ii) Revised basic pay scales: Minimum Rs.13,500 – Rs.27,400; Maximum – Rs.23,600 – Rs.56,300 in 10 grades; (iii) Fitment in revised scale: existing basic-special pay-stagnation increment + VDA upto 198 points (57.14) + 10.5% of the aggregate; (iv) Rate of Annual Increment: 3% of the revised basic; Minimum – Rs.410 and Maximum – Rs.1690; (v) Dearness Allowance: 100% neutralization of quarterly average above 198 points of AICPI (2001=100) series; (vi) House Rent Allowance: Actual basic + stagnation increment – at Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata – 30%; at Visakhapatnam, Cochin, New Mangalore and Mormugao – 20%; at Kandla, Tuticorin – 15% and Paradip and Haldia – 10%; (vii) Port Allowance: Increased by 10%; (viii) Additional benefits on regular promotion; (ix) Family planning allowance; (x) Transport Reimbursement: Rs.525 plus DA; For disabled persons double the rate; (xi) Children’s Education: Annual reimbursement upto Rs.15,000 per child with maximum for two children with automatic 25% rise with 50% DA rise. For disabled child double the limit. (xii) Washing: Increased to Rs.155 and special Rs.200 per month with 25% rise with 50% DA rise; (xiii) Design Allowance: Raised to Rs.500; (xiv) Women Child Care Leave: Maximum 2 years during entire service period upto 2 children. Central government’s order shall apply. (xv) Arrears Payment: Within 2 months; (xvi) Pension: Federations’ demand – subcommittee of BWNC will discuss.( Courtesy : Working Class – December 2013)

Hold the Circle Conventions on ‘Revival of BSNL’

28 Thursday Nov 2013

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The National Convention on ‘Revival of BSNL’ was held on 3rd August 2013 at Mavalankar Hall, New Delhi with massive participation of workers and addressed by Central Trade Union leaders as also the General Secretaries of the BSNL Unions/Associations. The National Convention adopted a Declaration with suggestions for improving the BSNL and its services to the customers. It was decided that similar conventions should be held at Circle levels also to give maximum publicity and propaganda on the issue of BSNL and the need to strengthen it.
So far, reports have been received about holding of successful conventions in Trichur (Kerala)and Lucknow (UP East). The Forum of BSNL Unions/Association meeting held on 27th November has decided that all the circle conventions should be held at the earliest.
I am sure that convener of the Circle Forum and all circle secretaries will take initiative for holding the Convention early in contact with the Convener Forum and the General Secretaries.

Massive Marches to CCA/CGM Offices by AIBDPA

28 Thursday Nov 2013

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The Pensioners have become militant. It is clear by the massive marches organised by the All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) today, 28th November 2013, in all the Circle HQs and also CCAs demanding settlement of the 23 Points Charter of demands. As per the reports received so far from the Circle unions, massive participation was seen. BSNLEU leaders and workers also participated in most of the centres.
The BSNL authorities as also the DOT (CCAs) should ensure that the justified demands of the senior citizens who have worked their entire active life for the service of the nation should be conceded with out further delay.