BSNL‘s services in Leh district are being seriously affected, due to the frequent outages of the Srinagar-Leh OFC. BSNLEU he is repeatedly taking up this issue with the BSNL management. This issue was seriously raised by the General Secretary, BSNLEU, in the meeting held on 27-10-2021, between the CMD BSNL and the AUAB. It was replied in that meeting that, BSNL would take OFC from the Power Grid Corporation  Ltd., on lease basis, to resolve this issue. However no action has been taken by the BSNL management so far. CHQ of BSNLEU has once again written to the CMD BSNL today, requesting to find an immediate solution to this problem.

It is already one year and four months, since the Hon’ble Kerala High Court ordered the CMD BSNL to pay the IDA increase to the Non-Executives of BSNL. Thereafter, BSNLEU is continuously writing letters to the CMD BSNL, demanding payment of the IDA arrears. However, the CMD BSNL has not so far implemented the order of the Hon’ble Kerala High Court. Hence, today Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS, has written letter to Shri P.K.Purwar, CMD BSNL, wherein BSNLEU has told “Pay the IDA arrears within two weeks or face contempt of court proceeding”. BSNLEU will file contempt of court petition against Shri P.K. Purwar, CMD BSNL, if the IDA arrears is not paid within two weeks.

The Central Government and PSU employees posted in the Kashmir Valley are being granted with special concessions / incentives. These special concessions / incentives are being extended once in two years. It was last extended up to 31.07.2021. Thereafter, the DoP&T has not extended the grant. Under these circumstances, BSNLEU has written to the Secretary, DoP&T, today,  requesting to grant the extension without further delay. 

MTNL’s debt is Rs.26,000/- crore. It is paying interest of Rs.2,100/- crore. MTNL’s income is only Rs.1,300/- crore. Shri P.K. Purwar, CMD BSNL & MTNL, has told that MTNL is in the ICU and any day it can be declared dead. [Business Line dt. 21-03-2022] Shri P.K. Purwar is the CMD MTNL also. When such is the condition of MTNL, the government is taking speedy measures to merge BSNL, MTNL and BBNL. The merger of MTNL with BSNL will do irreparable damage to the financial revival of BSNL. Hence, BSNLEU has written to Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister, to drop the merger of BSNL and MTNL. Alternatively, BSNLEU has demanded that, the entire debt of MTNL should be taken over by the government. Together with that, the government should also provide financial assistance for the restoration of the landline and mobile networks of MTNL. 

On 27.10.2021, BSNL Corporate Office issued letter for the payment of IDA arrears, which became due to the Non-Executives w.e.f. 01.10.2020, 01.01.2021 and 01.04.2021. It is already 5 months since the letter was issued. However, payment of arrears has not been made to the Non-Executives till today. BSNLEU is repeatedly writing to the CMD BSNL, demanding prompt payment of the IDA arrears. Once again, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL today, insisting for the immediate payment of the arrears.

A General Strike is being organised on 28^th & 29^th March, 2022, against privatisation of the Public Sector, National Monetisation Pipeline and on the demands of Wage Revision for BSNL employees, launching of BSNL’s 4G service, Pension Revision, etc. Yesterday, BSNLEU served the strike notice to the CMD BSNL and the Secretary, Telecom, for participating in this General Strike. The strike notice is enclosed.

As per rule, office bearers of Recognised Unions can avail Special Casual Leave only up to 20 days in a year, for attending conferences and executive committee meetings. Apart from this, as per DoP&T orders, officials who remained under home quarantine, or hospitalised on account of COVID-19, have also availed Special Casual Leave up to 20 days. As such, the officials who have already availed Special Casual Leave on account of COVID-19, cannot avail Special Casual Leave now, for attending union conferences / executive committee meetings. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the PGM(Estt.), yesterday demanding that, irrespective of availing of special CL for COVID-19, office bearers should be allowed to avail Special Casual Leave for 20 days for attending conferences / executive committee meetings. The General Secretary discussed this issue with Shri Saurabh Tyagi, PGM(Estt.), BSNL CO., and demanded prompt action. The PGM(Estt.) has assured to do the needful.

The NE-II circle consists of far-flung areas of the country. To mitigate the hardships of the JEs posted in remote areas of the circle, the CGM, NE-II circle has issued guidelines, after holding discussion with the Main Recognised Union. However, the instructions contained in the CGM letter are not being implemented. Consequently, the JEs posted in remote areas of Arunachal Pradesh are not being relieved even after completion of the tenure. This issue was taken up in the Formal meeting held between the Director (HR) and BSNLEU, on 19.06.2021. Still, the required action has not been taken by the Management. Hence, BSNLEU has once again written to the Sr.GM(SR), BSNL CO., for making necessary intervention.

The BSNL Corporate Office has already issued letter to the CGMs, stating that, all the letters issued by the DoP&T on Child Care Leave, are applicable to the women employees of BSNL also and that, the letters of the DoP&T on the subject need not be endorsed by the Corporate Office. However, as per the orders of the DoP&T, single male parents are also eligible for Child Care Leave. Since the BSNL Corporate Office letter has no mention about the single male parents, Child Care Leave is being denied to them by the circle administrations. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the Corporate Office, requesting to issue necessary clarification to the field units.

The BSNL Corporate Office has prepared the draft JAO Recruitment Rules and sought the views of BSNLEU. The All India Centre of BSNLEU met online today and finalised it’s views. The meeting took into account, the views sent by the various circle unions of BSNLEU and also individual comrades. Based on that, BSNLEU has written letter to the Management today. The highlights of the letter are:- 

1. BSNLEU has vehemently opposed the condition proposed by the Management that, only the officials who have completed 5 years of service in NE-9 pay scale or above can appear in the JAO LICE. 

2. BSNLEU has strongly demanded that, all the Non-Executives, having the requisite qualification (degree),  should be allowed to appear in the JAO LICE. 

3. BSNLEU has also demanded that, the Non-Executives who have already cleared JAO Part-I exam should be allowed to appear in the forthcoming JAO LICE as a one time measure.