Tag Archives: closure

Closure / Privatisation of PSUs will be a national disaster – SAVE PSU , SAVE NATION!

25 Thursday Jul 2019

Posted by in BSNL, PSU

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Move to close or privatise the central PSUs, one after another, by the Modi government will, no doubt, lead the country to a national disaster. It is these 340 and more PSUs, which built up the infrastructure in various sectors and strengthened the economy. It is the nationalised banks which saved India from the financial crisis of 2007, which engulfed almost all the countries in the world. LIC, despite its moderate start, is one of the mighty PSUs, which gives financial assistance to the centre, whenever required and demanded. The dividend and taxes paid by the PSUs to the government come to  lakhs of crores of rupees.

It is only the machinations of the government and the corporates, that some of the major PSUs like BSNL, Air India, ITI, HMT have become loss making. Air India and Indian Airlines were profitable till they were arbitrarily merged and also till orders for 111 flights were ordered at the behest of the Minister when only one third of that number was required for the company. ITI was made loss making by not giving it orders for telecom equipment by BSNL and MTNL as also under-utilising the manufacturing  equipments. The case of HMT is not different. HAL is being weakened by not giving its due order for manufacture of planes, by diverting the same to the unskilled, newly formed company of Anil Ambani. Nationalised Banks are being weakened by merger, reducing the customer base as also weakening the entire sector. Profitable railway stations and trains are being handed over to private companies, leaving the loss making stations and trains with the Indian Railways. Privatising the Airports were done after all the modernisation has been done by the Airport Authority of India spending thousands of crores of rupees.

It is the ordinary people who are at the receiving end. Train and Air charges and mobile charges will be increased as in the case huge increase in petrol and diesel prices. Prices of essential commodities will be increased.

Unless this reckless and anti-people privatisation is stopped, the common people are going to suffer much more.

SAVE PSU – SAVE NATION!

 

 

United Struggles to save the Public Sector

05 Monday Jun 2017

Posted by in PSU

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The aggressive attack on the Public Sector by the Modi Government is intended to finish off all the existing PSUs, which have greatly contributed to the growth of the country, and hand over them to the greedy corporates. Whether profitable or not, all the PSUs one by one are going to be disnvested, sold and or closed.

United/Joint Struggles by the entire workers, executives and management with the support of the people are essential for saving the public sector. Leave aside other differences and unite to fight the anti-PSU policy of the government and save the PSUs.

Resist and Defeat the Murder of Public Sector!

07 Sunday May 2017

Posted by in PSU

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Since the introduction of  neo-liberal LPG policy since 1991, the governments,  Congress or BJP, have been attacking the Public Sector. Whether it is Coal, Steel, Oil, Banks, telecom or power, the government has been after it to destroy the PSUs or hand over the same to the private corporates.

Disinvestment/ closure/ strategic sale of PSUs benefit the MNCs and the Desi corporates. Once the competition from the PSUs is over, they can loot the public like any thing. The government is dancing to the tune of these corporates and big business.

The fate of the PSUs, which have been closed or sold is known to all. Large number of workers lose their jobs, trade union rights are taken away, hire and fire become the law and the prices of the products are raised sky-high. Large areas of land, buildings and equipment are all handed over to the corporates for a song, just like in the case of ITDC Hotels, Balco, VSNL etc. The national assets are gifted to the corporate sharks.

The PSUs which strengthened the financial position of the country, gave the infrastructure for many industries, saved the country from the 2007 financial crisis  – all are being murdered one after another. The government has already decided to close or hand over about 75 PSUs in this year. PSU Banks are being merged. The RBI Dy. Governor has suggested de-nationalisation of the nationalised banks!

Next target is the Railways and Postal services. Move is already afoot.

It is time that the entire working class and the ordinary people come forward and fight this attack unitedly. It is  a question of now or never!

Resist the murder of the Public Sector! Defeat the ill-motivated pro-corporate policy of the government!

Workers will not allow BSNL to be sold

21 Saturday Jan 2017

Posted by in BSNL, General

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The PMO has asked Secretary, Telecommunications for the status on the report of the NITI Ayog recommendation to close / transfer to states of BSNL, the telecom PSU. If Modi government thinks that BSNL is for sale, it is completely mistaken. The 2.1 lakh BSNL employees, one lakh contract workers, more than one lakh BSNL retirees and crores of common people of this country will join together to put an end to this brutal attack. The people know that any closure of BSNL will result in at least 10 times increase in the call / data charges by the private companies as in other countries where the telecom sector is handed over to the private companies.

Maximum campaign amongst the people is required to defend BSNL. It is to be remembered that the present attack is being made when BSNL has improved its services and is making operational profit with the full co-ordination of BSNL Management and the workers.

SAY ‘NO’ TO CLOSURE OF BSNL!

Modi Government on move for closure / transfer to States of BSNL, ITI

20 Friday Jan 2017

Posted by in BSNL

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When the employees’ unions/associations in BSNL protested against the reported recommendation of the NITI Ayog for closure or transfer to States of BSNL and ITI, NITI Ayog denied any such recommendation. It was clear that this was only to confuse the workers and dent their protest actions.

Now the ‘cat is out of the bag.’ A letter from the Prime Minister’s Office dated 30th December 2016 has asked the Secretary Department of Communications as follows:

“NITI Ayog after analysing the finances of CPSE has recommended Closure, transfer to States, Status etc. in respect of the following CPSEs under M/o Communications & Information Technology:

(i) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
(ii) ITI Limited.

The undersigned is directed to request the Department concerned to the above PSEs to furnish the status of implementation in respect of the CPSEs to this office by 01.01.2017 positively.

Sd./ Mayur Maheswari
Deputy Secretary: Phone: 2301 7676”

What is the justification for the closure of BSNL and ITI? It is nothing but to maximise the profit of the private telecom companies. Neither the security of the country, nor the future of the workers are taken in to consideration.

It is sure that mighty protest actions will be organised to defeat this anti-people, anti-worker decision of the government. United struggles have to be organised with the full support of the people, trade unions and political parties

Prepare for serious struggle against closure / strategic sale of BSNL

03 Sunday Jul 2016

Posted by in BSNL, BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNLEU, Disinvestment, Forum, General

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It is reported in Hindu that BSNL, Air India etc. are recommended to be closed / strategically sold by NITI Ayog (former Planning Commission) along with many other loss making PSUs. It is also reported that the government may not accept the recommendation in the case of BSNL immediately, since the government fear stiff opposition from its 2.5 lakh employees. ITI is already in the list. It is also reported that the government will start with ‘low hanging fruit’ and later proceed with the big catch.

The intention of the government is very clear. It wants to handover the most profitable telecom sector completely to the private, including BSNL. VSNL is already sold. BSNL seems to be the next target, since Delhi based MTNL, may be the last target because of its being in the capital of the country with all government offices, including that of President, Prime Minister, Defence establishments etc.

Its inability to impose VRS and disinvesment in BSNL earlier, due to strong protest and agitation from the workforce, only is keeping the government from privatising/closing BSNL. Any weakening of the Forum / united movement of the workers will be utilised by the government to implement its dark agenda. The workers can not be caught unawares.

Strengthen Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations to fight against privatisation/closure of BSNL!

HMT Closes – A dead end for a Magnificent PSU

03 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by in BSNLEU, PSU

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As per reports in the press, one of the earliest PSU  and manufacturer of finest watches in the country for many decades, Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) Watch Unit, has been closed down on 1st May 2016. It is an irony that the closure has come on the International Workers Day. The last remaining 120 employees were given VRS/CRS and the PSU closed on Sunday.

HMT was world famous for its premium wrist watches. It had its units in many cities, other than the central office at Bangalore. It was a large establishment with thousands of expert workers. HMT was one of the best PSUs in the country and profitable. The anti-PSU policy of the government is the main reason for the closure of HMT. BSNL Employees Union took the initiative for purchasing HMT watches by BSNL for supply to its workers.

HMT Watch Unit is part of history now. It is a sad reminder of the neo-liberal policy of the government  how to kill a  PSU.

Government orders Closure of HMT units

08 Friday Jan 2016

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The Government issued orders for closure of three units of HMT viz. HMT Watches Ltd. (HMTW), HMT Chinar Watches Ltd. (HMTCW) and HMT Bearings Ltd. (HMTB). These companies have been running on loss for some time. Thousands of workers will either be given VRS or retrenched.

These were all running on profit for a very long time. Only due to the anti-PSU policy of the government, they have become loss making. Now the workers are losing the jobs and the companies are being closed. This anti-PSU policy of the government has to be resisted and defeated.

Govt. plans to sell PSUs – HMT, Tungabhadra Steel Limited.

14 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by in BSNL News, PSU

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The government seems to be in a move to sell the loss making HMT and Tungabhadra Steel Ltd. It is reported in the press that the government is proposing to sell profitable PSUs also after the loss making PSUs are sold.

It is well known that,in order to close or sell the PSUs, the government, the owner itself, takes measures that will make even profitable PSUs to loss making. Take the case of ITI, BSNL, MTNL etc. All of them have become loss making only due to the anti-PSU policy of the government, whether UPA or NDA. In destroying PSUs both of them are in the same camp. Only that NDA government is more aggressive in the matter.

BALCO closes its Chhattisgarh Unit

26 Saturday Sep 2015

Posted by in TU News - India

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Bharat Aluminium Company(BALCO) management  is proposing to close its Chhattisgarh plant shortly. It blames the closure on the increased price of coal and the loss in prices of aluminum.

BALCO was central government PSU, which was privatised and sold to Vedanta company. There was continued struggle by the workers against privatisation. Its main plant is in MP. More than 1,000 workers will lose job if the company is closed. The government should immediately intervene and save jobs of workers.