After sustained struggle by BSNLEU and BSNLC&CWF, BSNL management was compelled to issue orders on minimum wage etc. in the early part of 2010, but it was not implemented in most of the SSAs. Despite our continued requests the corporate office did not do any thing to improve the situation. Once the issue was raised before the Parliament Standing Committee on Labour, the management became frantic and panicky. Instead of implementing its own order on wages, the management at lower levels have started retrenching the workers who are working for the last 10  to 20 years.

Struggles have started in many SSAs against the retrenchment. The matter was brough to the notice of the Standing committee on Labour on 14th January 2011.

It is the duty of the BSNLEU leaders at all levles to take up the issue with management and also give full support and solidarity to the agitating casual and contract workers.

A meeting of the Parliament Standing Committee on Labour was held at Parliament Annexe Committee room today,  14th January 2011 at 1500 hours. The committee was presided over by Shri Hemanand Biswal, M.P., Chairman of the Committee. Members of Parliament, who are members of the Committee were present. The meeting was being held on the representation given by Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU & BSNL Casual and Contract Workers Federation to the Chairman on 13-11-2010 through Com. P.R.Natarajan, M.P. who is a member of the Committee. Com.Namboodiri had met Shri Sanjeeva Reddy, INTUC, President & M.P. who is also a member of the Committee.. Both the unions as well as the management side were invited to present their views on the issues.

The Unions were invited first. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, President BSNLEU & BSNLC&CWF  presented the case with relevant documents. The issues of regularisation of TSMS and Casual Labour, grant of TSM to eligible casual labour, non-payment of justified wages to the casual and contract workers, non-implementation of orders on social security measures  etc. were brought to the notice of the Standing Committee.  He also brought to the notice of the Committee that contract workers were being retrenched in large numbers after the management was compelled to implement the government orders on minimum wage to contract workers. The presentation by Com. Namboodiri took about more than 40 minutes. Comrades Suresh Kumar (BSNLMS) and Subramaniam (BMS) supported the statements of Com.Namboodiri and wanted to sort out these issues.

The official side was invited next. S/Shri C.Chandrasekhar, Secretary DOT, S,C.Misra, Member(Services)other top DOT officers,  Gopal Das, CMD BSNL, D.P.Dey, Sr.GM(Estt). H.C.Pant, Company Secretary and GM(Legal), M.S.S.Rao, GM (Admn) and about 10 other officers were present. The session ended quickly as the Committee felt that the written reply given by BSNL Management was not clear and not to the point and asked the official side to submit necessary replies after which the meeting will be held. It is understood from reliable sources that the Chairman and Members of the committee expressed their dissatisfaction at the replies given by the Management.

In preparing the presentation and discussion after the meeting along with the other union participants, Coms. Animesh Mitra, Circle Secretary, W.Bengal and Tapas Ghosh, Secretary General , BSNLC&CWF contributed much.

A detailed report on the discussion will be published later.

The support base for BSNLEU /UF in Kerala is increasing every day. Although the number of voters have been reduced by 1200 since the last verification in 2009, it is expected that there will be more votes polled for BSNLEU in 2011 verification. The SSA level meetings attended by Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU give clear indications to this effect. The report of the last two meetings are given below:

Palakkad: The morning meeting on 13th January 2011 was held at Palakkad presided over by Com. S.Shamsudin, District President. Com. P.R.Parameswaran, District Secretary, welcomed all. A large number of workers attended. Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, CHQ, inaugurated the convention. Coms. V.Kesavan, senior leader and Advisor, AIBDPA  Kerala Circle, R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary etc. addressed.A Asst. Circle Secretary Com. P.Gopakumar, Circle Treasurer Com. S.Pratapkumar, K.Vasudevan, Dist. Secretary, AIBDPA, Mahila Committee Convener Com. T.K.Ratnamma, Com. Haridas, District Secretary Security Staff Association  were also present.

Malappuram: The CHQ and Circle Union leaders when they reached in the afternoon of 13th January at Malappuram, they were received with chenda vadyam, firing of crackers etc. Com.A.Balakrishnan presided and Com.M.N.Madhavan, District Secretary welcomed. Com.Namboodiri, All India President inaugurated the convention and called upon the workers to make BSNLEU victorious. All the CHQ and circle leaders accompanying Com. Namboodiri also addressed.

Since Com. VAN Namboodiri had to urgently return to New Delhi  to attend a meeting of the Parliament Standing Committee on Labour to present the case of TSMs, Casual and Contract Workers, he returned to New Delhi immediately after addressing the Malappuram meeting.

As already stated earlier, Kerala Circle will once again show its capacity to get more and more votes and a better support base.CHQ thanks Kerala Comrades for the excellent tour programme of the All India President.

During the Keral tour of Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, he met a number of senior and veteran P&T TU leaders who have sacrificed their entire lives for the advancement of the workers and who have suffered all kinds of victimisation and led historic struggles. The opportunity was utilised by Com. Nambbodiri to vist them and honour them.

In Thiruvananthapuram Com. Namboodiri vistied veteran leader Com. P.V.Chandrasekharan, who was circle Secretary, Kerala for long 21 years and who has been ailing for some time at his home. Com. PVC, despite his ill health has been in the middle of organising the Pensioners Association, AIBDPA, as also guiding the BSNLEU in its day to day activities. On behalf of the CHQ, Com. Namboodiri presented a shawal and and appreciated the role of Com. PVC in making BSNLEU in Kerala to its excellent position. Com. R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, was also present along with Namboodiri.

On 12th morning when Com. Namboodiri was on tour at Ernakulam, he visited Com. K.Prabhakaran, senior Telecom leader at his house and honoured him by presenting a shawl. Com. Prabhakaran had to face a lot of victimisation for leading the strikes and struggles. Com.Prabhakaran could not attend the meeting since he was not well and was under treatment.

At the time of Convention at Trichur on 12th January Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, All India President honoured Com. M.R.Chandran, senior leader by presenting a shawl. Com MRC, as he is called, was one of the senior most leaders of the Line Staff Union and has faced victimisation several times for his leading role and participation in all the strikes and struggles.

At Palakkad Convention on 13th January Com.Namboodiri, All India President , honoured Com. V.Kesavan, former Circle President and at present Advisor, AIBDPA, Kerala Circle . Com.Kesavan had been in the forefront of all the struggles since 1968 strike and had been victimised several times. He was presented with a shawl in the convention by Com. Namboodiri.

The remarks of Communications & IT Minister on the CAG report on 2G scam as “erroneous” has been strongly crticised by the opposition parties. The PAC Chairman has also stated that it was inappropriate for the Minister to make such a remark when the issue is before the PAC. Even Congress leaders feel that such a remark should not have been made against the CAG, a constitutional institution.

Reports being received from all over India indicate a very good support for BSNLEU and United Forum. All India Office-bearers of all the affiliated unions of United Forum along with the Circle Secretaries are touring throughout India, in each and every SSA. The leaders of the United Forum are being received by hundreds of workers in each centre. The workers are happy that a very good wage revision has been achieved as also the Promotion Policy which benefits each and every worker, unlike the OTBP/BCR. Hundreds of major and minor achievements have been got for the non-executive workers during the last few years under the leadership of BSNLEU. The workers wholeheartedly support the United Forum.

In many centres, workers belonging to the other unions, either joins BSNLEU or assures their support to the united Forum in this membership verification. The sustained struggle organised to defend , save and advance BSNL  and the leading role of BSNLEU in this respect is very much appreciated by the workers. They understand that if the recognition was with NFTE or FNTO, just like in VSNL & MTNL, the disinvestment and VRS would have been agreed by them. The workers see BSNLEU as the uncompromising champion  to defend and protect their interests . They have learnt a lot from their experiences.

We thank the workers for the excellent support they are giving us all over India.

A meeting of the Parliament Standing Committee on Labour is meeting on 14th January 2011 in which the representation made by Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU as also BSNLC&CWF on the issues related regularisation of left out casual labour, implementation of payment of due wages to the contract labour, implementation of social security measures to the contract workers etc. will be discussed. Com. Namboodiri has been invited to be present. BSNL management also will be present.

On 12th January 2011 two massive meetings were held, one at Ernakulam and the other at Thrissur.

Ernakulam: More than 400 comrades have gathered at the PGM office premises at Ernakulam. The Convention was presided over by Com. P.S.Peethambaran, District President. Com. A.P.Honey Kumar, District Secretary welcomed those present. Com.VAN Namboodiri, Convener, United Forum inaugurated the Convention. In his speech, he narrated the developments connected with the formation of BSNL as also the struggles organised by BSNLEU and the Joint Forum to save and improve BSNL. The achievements including the good wage revision and NEPP was explained. Coms. K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS and other leaders spoke. Many senior leaders including Coms. P.A.Kumaran (AIBDPA), N.Ramesh (AIBDPA), K.Padmanabhan, Circle Org. Secretary, K.N.Mohanan, Circle Vice-President, P.Gopakumar, ACS, S.Pratapkumar, Circle Treasurer were present. Com.P.K.P.Nair proposed vote of thanks.

Thrissur: By the time the leaders arrived at the Convention place near the PGM office premises, a huge gathering of more than 600 workers were eagerly waiting to receive them. In addition members  of Security staff Association, AIBDPA and BSNLC&CWF were also present. The leaders were garlanded and honoured by all the Branch Secretaries. Inaugurating the Convention, Com. VAN Namboodiri, Convener United Forum called upon the workers to continue the sustained struggle to save and improve BSNL and its services. He also mentioned about the achievements of BSNLEU during the last two years of recognition including the Wage revision and NEPP. He exposed the government and the bureaucracy as also the MNCs and big business for the huge scams in the country and demanded stern action against all those involved. He called upon the workers to ensure a big victory for BSNLEU and UF in the coming verification. Coms.K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President and other leaders spoke. Coms. Gopakumar, ACS, Pratapkumar, Circle Treasurer, Senior leader Com.M.R.Chandran and other leaders were present.Coms. A.N.Rajan welcomed and P.A.Sankaranarayanan proposed vote of thanks.

Kottayam:  The meeting at Kottayam was attended by a large number of workers. Members from all parts of the SSA has gathered to hear Com. VAN Namboodiri, Convener, United Forum and President, BSNLEU. The meeting started at 13.30 hours immediately after the campaign reached at Kottayam. Com. Lalaji, District President, presided. Com.V.Karthikeyan, District Secretary, BSNLEU welcomed all. Com. VAN Namboodiri Inaugurating the Convention explained the achievements of the United Forum and also briefed the Charter of demands in the fifth membership verification. Com.Namboodiri was given a warm welcome by the house. Coms.R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary, Gopa Kumar, ACS, P.R.Mohanan, Dist. Secretary, AIBDPA, V.S.Thankappan, CGPA leader, Ruby Chacko, Security Staff Association, P.K.Suresh Kumar, BSNLC&CWF, K.S.Geetha, Convener, Mahila Committee attended and addressed. The workers expressed their satisfaction in the settlement of Wage Revision and NEPP and assured the leadership that vast majority of the workers will support BSNLEU in the verification.

A meeting of the BSNL Pensioners was also held at Kottayam which completely supported the BSNLEU in the present verification

Alappuzha: The last meeting on 11th January was held at Alapuzha, the Venice of East. Hundreds of workers thronged the convention place. As soon as the leaders arrived, the meeting started with Com.P.Shaji Mon, District President in the chair. Com. R.Balakrishnan Nair, Dist. Secretary welcomed. Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU inaugurated the Convention. Coms. K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA, R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, K.Mohanan, Circle Secretary,Gopakumar, ACS, R.Vijayakumar, ACS, N.Ramesh Circle Secretary, AIBDPA and other leaders addressed.

The campaign for member verification in Kerala continues with Com. VAN.Namboodiri, President and other leaders touring main centres in the state. On 11th January morning the first meeting was held at Tiruvalla, the head quarters of Pathanamthitta District. The meeting started at 10.00 hours. Com.K.J.Sanal Kumar, Circle Vice-President presided over the meeting. A large number of workers were present.  Inaugurating the election convention, Com. Namboodiri explained our struggles against the neo-liberal policies of the government along with other PSU unions and our struggles against privatisation, VRS etc. The great achievements of the last  six years were also briefed. The charter of demands of the United Forum for the next two years were explained. Coms. R.Muralidharan Nair, AGS, A.V.Kuriakose, Circle President, KMohanan, Circle Secretary, K.Gopakumar, ACS, Omanakkuttan Nair, D/Secy, Security Staff Assn., C.P.Pappy, AIBDPA,Beena John, Mahila Committee, K.Santhosh, BSNLC&CWF and other leaders addressed. District Secretary Com.R.Mohanan Nair assured that like last time, more than 90% votes will be polled for BSNLEU in the District.