The fog is becoming the spoil sport again. Whether it is the flight or the train, it is creating a lot of problems. Yesterday ( 2nd January) I got in to the train at 2000 hours to proceed to Gorakhpur to attend a membership verification meeting arranged by the UP (East) Circle and was to reach there by 10.00 hours on 3rd January. But the train is late for 4 hours due to heavy fog. It is more than 5 hours late. Whether I will be able to reach there in time to attend the meeting at all. I have to proceed from there to Patna at 1700 hours. Whether I will be able to proceed to Patna if this train is again delayed. OK. This is what happens in the heavy winter. You have to adjust yourself in advance for such contingencies.

I will be on verification tour of UP(E) and Bihar on 3rd and 4th January 2010.  I shall attend a meeting at Gorakhpur on 3rd January and at Patna on 4th. I will be available at Delhi on 5th January 2011.

United Forum and BSNLEU have started its membership verification campaign in right earnest. President, General Secretary, Dy. General Secretary and all the CHQ office bearers of BSNLEU are on the campaign trail touring all the circles and SSAs. The General Secretaries and office-bearers of other constituents of UF are also on verification campaign.

The United Forum has released its wall poster with the photos of all the General Secretaries of the constituent Unions. Propaganda materials are also being released. View the website of BSNLEU for all the details. With the target of getting 60% votes, the workers are also meting each and every worker.

Victory is ours. BSNLEU will win with good majority.

The Communications & IT Minister Kapil Sibal asserted that hefty penalty up to Rs. 2.50 lakhs will be impsoed on telemarketteers for unsolicited telemarketing calls from 1st Febraury onwards. These calls are disturbing the subscribers and in many cases they are charged for these also. The government has been extending the date for penalty due to pressure from the telcos. The Govenment should ensure that no further extension should be given.

Out of the Rs.219 crore penalty imposed by the DOT on those new telecom companies which have not rolled out services within one year of getting the licences, only Rs. 73.73 crore has been received so far according to Communications MinisterKapil Sibal. The question of cancelling the licences will be considered only if the roll out is not done within 52 weeks.

Many of these companies have been making windfall profits by selling their shares to MNCs. The 2G scam issue has focussed all these and the government is compelled to take action against the erring companies.Why wait for 52 weeks again, since the telcos have not rolled out services even after one year?

Of course, the government can not antagonise the India Inc!

Communications & IT Minister Kapil Sibal has stated yesterday ( 1st January 2011 ) that  a New Telecom Policy 2011 will be formulated which will evolve a clear and transparent telecom regime covering licensing, spectrum allocation, tariffs/pricing, flexibility within licences, spectrum sharing, spectrum trading and merger & acquisitions. Before that within 100 days consultations will be held with key stakeholders. He also stated that the matters of security, including that of 3G and Blackberry will be resolved soon.

He also stated that three factors have to be kept in mind while framing the policy – reasonable revenue for the government, affordable service to the users and robust growth of the telecom sector.

So far good. But who are the stakeholders? The private telcos are of course there. But what about BSNL and MTNL ? What about the employees and their unions? Are they stake holders according to the Minister ? Because nothing is stated about the telecom PSUs and their employees. We know that the concerns of the big business and MNCs and their profits will be safeguarded. But what about the financial viability of BSNL / MTNL and the issues of the workers in these two PSUs?

We can not depend upon anybody’s charity. We have to raise our voice so that while evolving the New Telecom Policy, these are also considered. Let us be vigilant.

BSNLEU and All India BSNL-DOT Pensioners Association (AIBDPA) have been continuously pressurising the  DOT and BSNL management to ensure that all the payments etc.should be settled at the time of retirement itself. This  has compelled the management to issue clear instructions to the effect. Vide No.500-57/2010/CA II/BSNL dated 14-12-2010, BSNL has asked the subordinate offices that ‘ the matter related to settlement of retirements cases should be taken on top priority and necessary instructions shall be issued to all concerned for timely submission of pension papers to CCAs, prompt compliance of the quiries raised by CCAs, submission of opening balances of Loans and advances as on 01-10-2000 in respect of DOT employees absorbed in BSNL and timely submission of GPF final payment cases duly completed in all respects within the prescribed time frame.’

Issuing of order is not sufficient. The local/SSA units of the union should continuously monitor and pressurise the management to ensure that the orders are fully got implemented.

The two recognised Federations during DOT period, NFTE and FNTO are in opposite camps now. In the last verification they were together and contested to defeat BSNLEU. But thye lost by 28,000 votes. Now they are contesting separately and each boast of winning the elections!

The workers have learnt from their own experiences. That is why they have uninterruptedly elected BSNLEU in the last three verifications. After the good wage revision despite adverse conditions and the Promotion Policy which have ensured promotion for all employees after every 8 years instead of 16 and 24 years, they are going to vote for BSNLEU in large numbers. But let us not be complacent. Meet each and every worker and seek his vote. Victory is ours!

The year 2011 is an year full of  challenges – Challenge to the financial viability of BSNL, challenge of facing the Membership Verification, challenges of price rise, corruption, anti-worker policies of the Government and so on.  Are you worried? Worrying will not help. The challenges have to be faced squarely and make it an opportunity to struggle and win!

A change is already coming in the BSNL. The workers have become aware of the financial crisis of BSNL mainly created by the Government to help the MNCs and big business. The agitation by the workers and the continued pressure from the Joint Action Committee has compelled the Management also to do some thing at least. The number of new connections provided in the last three months is an improvement for the better. We have to keep it up. Workers have to take initiative for a better service to the subscribers.

The Membership Verification is also to be taken as a challenge. During the last 6 years during which BSNLEU was the recognised union, United Forum /BSNLEU have gained more achievements for the workers than NFTE/FNTO could achieve during the 30 -40 years of their continued recognition in DOT and BSNL. The Wage Revision and the Promotion Policy have given the workers financial benefit  which they never even dreamed of. More than 80% of the workers have now got promotion after the NEPP has been issued. The malicious propaganda of the rival unions are not going to influence the workers at all.  The challenge for BSNL is not of winning; that is assured. But BSNLEU wants to win with more than 60% votes. Contact each and evey worker and ensure that the target of 60% is reached. We shall win and win with great margin.

The fight against the anti-worker, neo-liberal polices of the government is not an easy one. That is why the entire trade unions in the country, including INTUC, have joined together. The 7th September strike was a milestone in this fight. The Central Trade Unions have called for a Parliament March on 23rd February 2011. Crores of workers are going to particiate including us. We have to defeat the anti-people policy. That is a sustained and united struggle.

As state earlier, the New Year 2011 is full of challenges. It should be our duty to make it an opportununity to fight and win. Let us March Ahead!

As usual the Finance Minister has started pre-budget discussions with the various sections  of people. He will discuss with agriculturists, business people, NGOs, trade unions etc. The meeting with the trade unions are expected to be held on 12 January 2011.

Everybody knows that the budget proposals are kept very secret, since prior knowledge about taxes etc. may lead to hoarding and also many other malpractices. Hence, it is reported that the North Block, where the Finance Ministry is located will be under strict security and no unauthorised person will be allowed to enter. It is  reported that even the Finance Minister is not allowed to take the budget proposals to his home.

But it is an open talk that despite all these precautions, at least the business community somehow get all prior information. That is India and its secrecy.