Child Care Leave orders issued by BSNL

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BSNL C.O. has issued the orders on Child Care leave today, on the International Women’s Day. It is appropriate. Though much delayed, I am happy that it is issued. It will benefit all women having children up to the age of 18 years. The orders are available on the BSNL site.
Yesterday, I sent an SMS addressed to all the Directors of BSNL suggesting/demanding that the orders on the Child Care Leave be issued on 8th March itself which is the International Women’s Day. The reply SMS was received from CMD, Shri R.K.Upadhyay, with the brisk but positive word ‘OK.’ From Director (Finance) Shri KCGK Pillai also, I got a positive response.
Anyhow to ensure that the order is issued today, 8th March itself, I went to the corporate office along with Com. S.C.Bhattacharjee, BSNLEU Treasurer, but it was intimated that the CMD and Directors have gone to attend a meeting connected with some matters of Parliament. I met and talked with Shri R.K.Goyal. GM(Estt) as also Shri H..C.Pant, GM(legal) and Secretary to the BSNL Board. Both were helpful and hopeful for the issue of orders.
By late evening the orders have been issued. Thanks to the management for issuing the orders without waiting for the usual formalities and delay after taking the decisions in the BSNL Board.
Thus one of the agreements on the 12th June 2012 Strike agreement is implemented. Now BSNL Management should put pressure on the DOT for early approval for issue of the orders on 78.2% IDA fixation. Anyhow, the meeting of the Forum of BSNL Unions && Associations, which will be meeting on 18th March will take appropriate decision to get the orders issued.

Long Live Hugo Chavez! – CPI(M)

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THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses its deep grief at the passing away of Hugo Chavez Frías, president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Chavez died after battling cancer for nearly two years.

Hugo Chavez was an epic figure who symbolised the radical transformations taking place in Latin America. He was elected for a fourth term as president just six months ago with a big margin. The Bolivarian revolutionary process which he initiated enabled Venezuela to take control of its destiny by asserting national sovereignty and control over all the vital resources of the country including oil and gas. In the one and a half decades of his presidentship, the Venezuelan people got health facilities, education and literacy as never before. Poverty was drastically reduced.

“My Own Daughter Feels Unsafe in the City” – Sheila Dixit, CM.

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“My own daughter feels unsafe in the city.” – Chief Minister Smt. Sheila Dikshit about the situation in Delhi.

““our heads hang in shame” due to recurring incidents of rapes and other violence against women – Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Congress President.

These statements by two senior leaders of the ruling party at centre and in Delhi made today on “international Women’s Day’ gives the shameful and dangerous situation in the country for the women, who forms almost 50% of the population.

This shame on India has to be removed. Not only the Government, but the entire people, male and female have to unitedly ensure that gender equality is ensured, attacks and assaults on women are put an end to and the girls and women in the country can walk and live freely and without fear and danger.

Free Roaming by October 2013 – Kapil Sibal

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Communications Minister Kapil Sibal has stated that the country will have free roaming services by Octoberr 2013. Though the TRAI has recommended the same earlier, the government did not implement so far due to the strong opposition by the private telecom companies. Their contention is that the roaming service charges will be about 9% of their total revenue and loss of the same will have serious effect.

We have to see whether the assurance of the Minister will be implemented by October 2013, as the government usually succumbs to the pressures of MNCs and big business.

” Hugo Chavez Lives, The Battle Continues! “

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A report from Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, regarding the final farewell to its dear Commandate and President Hugo Chavez is given below:
Caracas, Mar 7 : The flag-draped coffin of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez was borne through throngs of weeping supporters yesterday as a nation bade farewell to the firebrand leftist who led them for 14 years.
His mother Elena wept over his wooden casket as a band played the national anthem outside his military hospital. Presidential guards with red berets then placed his remains on top of a black hearse, surrounded by flowers.
Chavez’ death after a two-year struggle with cancer was a blow to his adoring supporters and the alliance of left-wing Latin American powers, and plunged his oil-rich country into uncertainty as an election is organised.
His body, surrounded by soldiers, was being taken to the military academy that the former paratrooper colonel once called a second home, where he will lie in state until an official ceremony with foreign dignitaries on Friday.
People watched from their apartment windows, others climbed fences to get a better view of the hearse, many held or wore iconic images of Chavez.
The 58-year-old leader succumbed to a respiratory infection on Tuesday. A new election is due to be called within what are sure to be 30 tense days.
Vice President Nicolas Maduro, who tearfully broke the news to the nation that his mentor had lost his battle with cancer, was poised to take over as interim president and campaign as Chavez’s chosen successor.
The death brought thousands of Venezuelans to public squares across the nation, weeping and celebrating the life of a divisive figure whose oil-funded socialist revolution delighted the poor and infuriated the wealthy.
Hundreds of people spent the night in front of his hospital, waving Venezuelan flags and chanting “we are all Chavez!” A banner was hung the hospital fence, reading “Chavez lives, the battle continues!”
“I love him,” said Iris Dicuro, 62, who came from the northeastern city of Puerto La Cruz and wore a shirt with the words “Forward Comandante.” “I want to bid farewell because he was a good man who gave everything to the poor.”
The armed forces were to fire a 21-gun salute and “there will be a salvo every hour until his burial,” Defense Minister Diego Molero said.
Some of Chavez’s closest allies had already arrived today ahead of the state funeral, including Argentina’s President Cristina Kirchner, Uruguay’s Jose Mujica and Bolivia’s Evo Morales…..

” CHAVEZ LIVES, THE BATTLE CONTINUES!”

Best Wishes and Greetings on International Women’s Day!

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My Best Wishes and Greetings to all comrades and well wishers on this International Women’s Day!
It should be our combined efforts to ensure that the gender discrimination should be put an end to and equal status and opportunity for men and women should be there. The discrimination and injustice being meted out to the women should be put an end to. The sexual assaults, attacks etc on women should be dealt with maximum punishments.The women should be able to live a free and happy life.

“A Promise is a Promise: Time for Action to End Violence Against Women.” – UN theme for International Women’s Day 2013.

Child Care Leave in BSNL – Issue orders on 8th March

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After persuation and sustained agitations by the unions, BSNL Board has decided to grant Child Care Leave, as per the orders of the Central Government, in BSNL also. Already it is too late. Now the BSNL Management can issue the orders tomorrow, 8th March, International Women’s Day, itself. It will be much appreciated by the staff.

Forum of BSNL Unions/Assns meet on 18th March

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The Forum of BSNL Unions / Associations will be meeting at 1430 hours on 18th March 2013 to specially to discuss the pending issues and also agitational programmes to be organised for settlement of the same.
The casual or rather negative attitude of the BSNL Management and also the DOT is causing much delay in settlement of the urgent issues. It is better for the management/DOT to settle the issues than face serious agitation. We hope better advise will prevail on both.

BSNLEU on the path to great victory in Membership Verification.

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There is no doubt that BSNL Employees Union will continue to be the first in the VI Membership verification of the non-executive unions in BSNL. This fact is conceded by all the unions, though reluctantly and the past results concur with the same.
Why BSNLEU / United Forum has won in all the last 4 verifications? The answer lies in the past excellent performance of the UF/BSNLEU during the last many years.
1. The first and foremost is its uncompromising fight against the anti-PSU, anti-worker policy of the government. The unions which later united and formed the BSNL Employees Union in 2001, have been in continuous struggle against the corporatisation process initiated by the government. While the recognised Federations in DOT viz.NFTE and FNTO openly declared that they will not fight against the policies of the government, the National Action Council formed by the former E.III(N), T.III, Administrative Unions etc continued a serious battle against the proposal for corporatisation touring the entire country and propagating. Two strikesw were also successfully organised by the NAC. Unfortunately the recognised Federations agreed for the corporatisation, though they went on strike against the same. This compromise with the management not only resulted in corporatisation, but the same could be implented by the government even six months earlier than it was proposed. Just as they have agreed for ban on recruitment and reduction of staff earlier, they agreed for corporatisation also putting the entire future of the employees at stake.
After the formation of BSNL, and later of BSNLEU, the latter continued its efforts to ensure for the viability of the BSNL and for better service. While neither the recognised Federations in DOT did not take any initiative to bring all the unions together nor NFTE, the recognised union after the first membership verification in BSNL, also did not take anyinitiative. It was only after the recognition of BSNLEU and at the initiative of the latter that the Joint Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations was formed and efforts made by all the unions/associations to save BSNL.The slogan of unity and struggle was implemented at the initiative of BSNLEU.
Despite decision of the government/Minister three times for disinvestment of BSNL not evn a single share could be disinvested so far. All the unions categorically rejected the offer of shares for the employees which was a clever ploy by the government. While almost all the PSUs have been disinvested, less or more, even after 12 years, BSNL still continues to be afully government owned company.
The programme of “Customer Delight Month/Year” was initiated by the Joint Forum /Joint Action Committee with the participation of all the unions. This could be done at the initiative of BSNLEU. Though the service is still not up to the mark, efforts are on throughout the country by the workers to better the same.
Without going in to further details, it can truly be stated that BSNLEU was in the forefront to defend and save BSNL and its workers. All the employees are fully aware of the same. That is why the BSNL employees, irrespective of the affiliation, looks to the BSNLEU and Joint Forum/Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations to continue the struggle to strengthen and save BSNL and its workers.Even the workers in other PSUs and Central trade Unions are fully appreciate the role of the BSNLEU in this respect.( to be continued).

8th March – International Women’s Day

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“A Promise is a Promise: Time for Action to End Violence Against Women.” – UN theme for International Women’s Day 2013.

8th March is being observed as the ‘International Women’s Day’ since 1917, the year in which the USSR was formed and it decided to observe the same as such. It was declared as a Holiday in USSR after some years.
The demand for gender equality, stopping sexual assaults and attacks on women, education for women etc. have been long pending demands of women. The United Nations has been organising the IWD since 1977 in which year United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace. Every year a theme is also given. The theme for International Women’s Day 2013 is ” A Promise is a Promise: Time for Action to End violence Against Women”.
The above theme is timely. All over the world crimes against women are increasing. In India every day crimes against women such as sexual assault, rape and all kinds of harassing women and even children are increasing. The recent case of a brutal assault and rape of a young woman in a bus in Delhi and her death due to the same has shocked the entire country and unprecedented and huge demonstrations have taken place shaking the entire government machinery. Every day some case of rapes and assaults are reported. No place is safe for women. Even small girl children are not safe. In such a situation, the theme given by the UN is appropriate and has to be widely publicised.
All the Women’s organisations will be observing the day with many programmes. But it need not be a women’s programme alone. It is the responsibility of men and women to ensure that women are free and that the gender inequality is put an end to.
The year 2017 will see the centenary celebration of the International Women’s Day.
On this International Women’s Day let us pledge that all of us will stand together and fight for the rights of women and their freedom from gender bias and also for equal opportunity and also make the country safe for women.