Appoint a Special Investigation Team to unearth Black Money – SC

19 Saturday Mar 2011

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The government’s inaction in unearthing black money was again pointed out by the Supreme Court. Despite knowing well that people like Hasan Ali, who have huge black money stashed in foreign banks are not yet brought to book, the Supreme Court on 18th March suggested to the Government about setting up of a Special investigation Team (SIT) for the same including Enforcement Directorate, CBI and Income Tax Department. The Government is yet to reply to the suggestion.

All these developments naturally point to a very unhappy situation, that the Central Government is not interested in unearthing black money or catching up those who are the culprits. The image of the government is already tarnished with so many scams, including the latest cash-for-votes scam and the continued adverse remarks by the Supreme Court.

Com. EMS remembered on his 13th death anniversay

19 Saturday Mar 2011

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Today, 19th March 2011, is the 13th death anniversary of Com. E.M.S.Namboodiripad, the former Chief Minister of Kerala, General Secretary of the CPI(M) for a long period and communist ideologue of International fame, who passed away on 19th March 1998.

Com. E.M.S.Namboodiripad, along with Com.P.Krishna Pillai and Com. A.K.Gopalan are the three leaders along with others who took initiative in forming and strengthening the Communist Party in Kerala. Com.EMS was the first Chief Minister of Kerala and who initiated much acclaimed land reforms as also for the all round developments of Kerala. He was a political leader who did not leave any sector untouched, including literature, culture, science, history, technology etc. His articles are being published by the party in hundred volumes, which itself speaks for the articles and books he had written.

I had the fortune to meet him several times and take his guidance. When I was the Circle Secretary of the AITE Union Class III and functioning at Thiruvnanthapuram, I met him many times to seek his advice. Com.EMS inaugurated the Thiruvanathapuram All India Conference of E.III union in 1994, where I was elected as the General Secretary.

Another time we travelled together from Calicut to Managalore where he was to inaugurate a meeting of the NFPTE union. The meeting was held in the Post Office Hall. Seeing the photo of Babu Tarapada Mukherjee placed on the wall, Com. EMS asked whose photo it is. When I told him that it is the photo of Babu Tarapada, pioneer of P&T Trade union movement, he was happy and congratulated us stating that the P&T movement has a great tradition and that is why we are able to put the photo of the trade union leader in the office. He was writing through out the journey and when we reached Managalore he gave me a cover and told me to send it immediately to Chintha weekly so that the article can be published in time, a column for which he continued to contribute without any fail for decades. He was so much organised and systematic.

He was a great leader, who gave all his life, wealth and land to the party and lived as a simple party comrade serving the people. I pay my respectful homage to his memory.

At last Govt. issues orders for 9.5% interest for EPF deposits

18 Friday Mar 2011

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The Finance Ministry was stubbornly opposing the EPFO decision to increase the interest rate of EPF from 8.5% to 9.5% for the year 2011-12, which is fully justified. The EPF Organisation had taken all relevant data for calculating the higher interest. But the private employers opposed it stating that they can not pay the higher interest decided by EPFO. Subsequently, the Finance Ministry also took the same stand. Since there was a stand-off between the Labour Department and the Finance Department, the matter went up to cabinet.
The cabinet has now decided approving the higher interest. Accordingly, Ministry of Labour & Employment vide No. R 11018/1/2010 SS-II dated 17th March 2011 has issued orders for calculating 9.5% interest for 2011-12 to the 4.72 crore subscribers.

The sustained efforts of the Central Trade Unions and other labour organisations have become successful. Congratulations!

JAC – Protest Demonstration on 5th April against VRS

18 Friday Mar 2011

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The meeting of the JAC held today, 18th March, has decided to organise massive lunch hour demonstration on 5th April 2011 against the proposal of VRS for one lakh workers in BSNL, which is being examined by the committee appointed for the purpose. The JAC has decided that in no way VRS/CRS will be allowed in BSNL.

Earlier, three times, the Management/government had tried to impose VRS which have been stopped by the strong protest and agitation under the leadership of Joint Forum / Joint Action Committee. This time also the JAC will ensure that no VRS/CRS is implemented.

Let us organise the 5th programme with maximum participation.

Joint Action Committee Meeting today, 18th March 2011

18 Friday Mar 2011

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The meeting of the Joint Action Committee of BSNL Associations/Unions of Executives & Non-Executives will be held today, 18th March 2011. One of the main agenda is to make a plan for mobilising all the workers to start a new campaign and work plan to save and strengthen BSNL. It will have to think about and plan our strategy in view of the New Telecom Policy 2011 being prepared by the Government of India. What should be our alternative plan. All these are to be discussed in the meeting of the JAC today.

The time is passing out. BSNL is in loss in 2010-11 for the first time. It may be in loss for 2011-12 also. But if all of the management and the workers together strive hard, there is every chance that we may be able to bring BSNL to profit by 2012-13. Of course, the government should be compelled to change its anti-PSU policy. That can only be done by sustained campaign and public pressure. Our task is to facilitate the same.

Let us take suitable decisions in the JAC.

BSNL Work force reducing year by year

18 Friday Mar 2011

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There is drastic reduction in the work force of the BSNL year after year. Workers are retiring but hardly there is any new recruitment. An examination of the following official statistics corroborate the same:

2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010
1. Executives 58407 56016 55432
2. Non-Executives 249679 243824 236668
3. Total 308086 299840 292100

There is a total reduction of 15986 staff within 2 years from 2007-08 to 2009-10. Executives have been reduced by 2975 while non-executives reduced by 13011. In 2010-11 also there is a similar reduction.

The question of recruitment of staff has to be taken as an important agenda by the unions.

Thank You comrades!

17 Thursday Mar 2011

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, Uncategorized

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A large number of calls from the retired employees have been received yesterday and today conveying thanks and appreciation for getting the orders on Pension Revision issued. I thank them all for their appreciation for the work done by the JAC, BSNLEU and AIBDPA.

In fact, it was a herculian task to get the Pension Revision approved by the Government and orders got issued. There was no rule earlier for pension revision for the BSNL retirees. It took two major strikes by the entire employees of BSNL on 20th April and 1-2 December 2010 under the leadeship of the JAC to compel the DOT and the Government to start moving for a cabinet note in the matter and approval by the Government. Much pressure had to be put in even for getting the orders got issued after approval by the Cabinet.

It is of course a great victory for us. I once again congratulate and thank the workers.

Contract workers in Bongaigaon put in custody for opposing retrenchment

17 Thursday Mar 2011

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Four contract workers in BSNL have been arrested and put in custody/jail for going on agitation protesting against retrenchment and reduction of working hours. After the issue of minimum wages and social security benefits were taken in the Parliament Standing Committee on Labour by the union and as a result the BSNL managment has issued strict instructions to implement the same, the local level management in many places in connivance with the contractors have started retrenching the contract workers. This is being resisted by BSNLEU and BSNL Casual & Contract Workers Union. Agitations are taking place in many SSAs against these attacks on the contract workers. At Bongaigaon (Assam) also, such an agitation was going on for some days. Now the contractors and management in conspiracy has filed false complaints against the agitating workers and got four of them arrested and kept in custody/ jail.

As President of BSNLEU as also BSNL C&CWF, I have taken up the matter with the BSNL management as also written letter to the Sr.GM (Admn) who is in charge of the contract workers issues.

If the issues are not settled, there is no other way but to intensify the struggle.

The Working Class Face of the W.Bengal Left Front Govt.

17 Thursday Mar 2011

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W.Bengal LF government stands far ahead of Central Government and other state governments in the matter of its favourable working class policy. A few examples will be sufficient to substantiate it.

1. LF Government gave the government employees the right to strike. No other government has given this right. LF government never revoked ESMA on workers.
2. As per W.Bengal rules, the employers can not suo moto declare lock out, lay off and closure.When the tea estates were closed by the employers, government ensured support of the workers by giving food, fuel, treatment etc. and got the estates opened. The workers got their job back.
3. Job seekers are provided suitable training to get jobs.
4. Whenever any industrial unit is closed, the LF government gave financial support of Rs.1500 per month to each of the workers. It made all efforts to reopen the unit.
5. Social security concerns of the unorganised sector workers ensured.
Many other worker friendly decisions have been taken by the LF government and implemented. That is why the Working class is fully with the LF government of W.Bengal