In the last AUAB meeting, it is decided that appeal should be given to all the applicant unions and associations of BSNL, other than which are affiliated to the AUAB, requesting them to join the indefinite strike that is going to take place from 03.12.2018. Accordingly, the AUAB has sent appeal to all the unions and associations. The appeal sent to FNTO, SEWA BSNL and BTEU are enclosed herewith for the information.

DoT द्वारा BSNL को एक और झटका - बैंक से लोन लेने पर पाबंदी

BSNL को एक और झटका देते हुए BSNL द्वारा बैंक से लोन लेने के लिए एक नया अवरोध उत्पन्न कर दिया गया है। DoT द्वारा थोपी गई एक नई शर्त के अनुसार BSNL केवल "कैपिटल वर्क्स" के अलावा किसी अन्य कार्य हेतु लोन नही ले सकता है। जिओ की प्रीडेटरी प्राइसिंग की वजह से BSNL के राजस्व संग्रहण में भारी गिरावट आई है और मैनेजमेंट को कर्मचारियों को सैलरी देने के लिए भी काफी मशक्कत करना पड़ रही है। विभिन्न भुगतानों के लिए कॉर्पोरेट ऑफिस द्वारा फण्ड अलॉट नही किया जा रहा है। इस वजह से अगस्त 2018 के पश्चात मेडिकल का भुगतान नही हो सका है। ऐसी परिस्थिति में DoT द्वारा BSNL को पंगु बनाने के उद्देश्य से ही नई पाबंदी लादी गई है। रिलायंस जियो की वजह से निजी कंपनियों की हालत ज्यादा खराब है। किन्तु उनके द्वारा बैंक से लोन लेकर स्थिति को मैनेज किया जा रहा है। एयरटेल का बैंक लोन रु 1,13,000 करोड़ है और आईडिया वोडाफोन का रु 1,20,000 करोड़। इनके द्वारा बैंक से लोन के रूप में लिया गया सारा पैसा जनता का है। जब निजी कंपनियां खुले आम अपनी आवश्यकता पूर्ति के लिए जनता का पैसा बैंक लोन के रूप में ले सकती है तो फिर BSNL बैंक से लोन क्यों नही ले सकता ? निजी कंपनियों के अथाह कर्ज की तुलना में BSNL का कर्ज कुछ हजार करोड़ रुपए ही है, लगभग नही के बराबर। BSNL पर बैंक लोन लेने पर लगाई गई पाबंदी एक नया आघात है, BSNL को पूरी तरह से खत्म करने के लिए। इन सारे अवरोधों को तोड़ने का सिर्फ एक ही उपाय है, अनिश्चितकालीन हड़ताल। इन सभी मुद्दों पर कर्मचारियों को शिक्षित कीजिए और एक दीर्घ अवधि की हड़ताल के लिए उन्हें संगठित कीजिए।

N. Sivasailam, who has been Special Secretary, in DoT, is shunted out, and is posted in the Commerce Department. He is posted as Special Secretary, Logistics, in the Commerce Department. Anshu Prakash is posted as the Additional Secretary, in the DoT and he will report to the Secretary, Telecom. It is reported that N. Sivasailam has been shunted out of the DoT, with a view to speedup the various government projects, such as NOFN, being carried out by the DoT. These projects are being directly monitored by the PMO. It is to be mentioned that N. Sivasailam, who was also in BSNL Board, has been very hostile towards BSNL and has created many problems in the settlement of issues of the employees, as well as in the financial improvement of the Company.  

[Source: ET Telecom dated 19.11.2018]

In another blow to BSNL, the DoT has created a new roadblock in BSNL’s taking bank loans. The new condition laid down by the DoT stipulates that, BSNL can take bank loans only for “Capital Works” and not for other purposes. Due to the predatory pricing of Reliance Jio, BSNL’s revenue collections are drastically reduced and the Management is struggling even to pay salaries to the employees. Fund is not being allotted by the Corporate Office for various payments. Hence, medical bills are not paid from August. Under these circumstances, the new restriction laid down by the DoT is only to cripple BSNL. The private companies are also badly affected by Reliance Jio. However, they are managing by taking bank loans. The debt of Airtel is Rs.1,13,000 crores and the debt of Vodafone Idea is Rs.1,20,000 crores. These are all people’s money, taken as loan from banks. When private companies can freely avail people’s money as loans, to fulfil their requirements, why should BSNL not take bank loans? BSNL’s debt is only a few thousand crores, and it is nothing, compared to the huge debt of the private companies. The restriction on BSNL to avail bank loans is another big blow, intended to kill BSNL. The only means to break all these barriers is the indefinite strike. Educate the entire employees on such issues and organise them for a prolonged indefinite strike.

Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Railway Minister, was heckled at by railway men at Lucknow, on 16^th November,2018. The minister was addressing a convention of the Northern Railway Mazdoor Union (NRMU), affiliated to the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF). The railway employees were aggrieved by the implementation of the retrograde New Pension Scheme (NPS), exploitation of workers in the name of apprenticeship. Addressing the convention of the NRMU, Shri Piyush Goyal justified the apprenticeship system and made a remark that the railway union leaders are misguiding the youth, in the matter of regularisation of apprentices. Irritated by the remarks of the minister, the railwaymen started shouting slogans and rushed to the dias. Slogans like “Railway Manthri murdabad” were raised. Flower pots were thrown at the minister. As a result of this, the Minister abruptly stopped his speech and he was taken away by the police. The system of apprenticeship is a worst kind of exploitation of labour. Lakhs of highly educated youngsters are engaged as apprentices for years together, and they are being paid a very paltry amount as wages. When the Minister justified this exploitation, the railwaymen naturally got annoyed.