Front Line Workers such as doctors, nurses, health workers, police personnel, etc., have already received COVID-19 vaccination on priority basis. From March 01st onwards, citizens above the age of 60 years, as well as citizens above the age of 45 years and who are having co-morbidities, are being vaccinated. BSNL employees are having close interaction with the general public and are highly susceptible to COVID-19 infection. Further, BSNL is also providing telecommunications services, which is declared as an essential service by the government. Hence, BSNLEU has written to Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble Minister of Communications, requesting him to take steps to get the BSNL employees declared as "Front Line Workers" for getting COVID-19 vaccination on priority basis. 

As known to all, in the writ petition filed by BSNLEU, the Hon’ble Kerala High Court has issued an interim order on 17.02.2021, directing the Secretary, DPE, to issue order for the payment of IDA to the Non-Executives of BSNL. Based on this, BSNLEU has written to the Secretary, DPE, enclosing copy of the order of the Hon’ble Kerala High Court and demanding to immediately issue order for the payment of the two instalments of IDA (5.5% + 6.1%).

BSNLEU is successfully organising countrywide hunger strikes today, demanding immediate payment of salary for the month of January, 2021, as well as payment of salary on the due date of every month and seeking settlement of some burning problems. Yesterday evening, the Corporate Office has issued a letter to all the CGMs, wherein it is stated that hunger strike amounts to strike. Further, the Management has also banned hunger strike, dharna, etc., in BSNL. Protesting against the issuing of such a letter, BSNLEU has written a detailed letter to the CMD BSNL today, stating that, nowhere in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, it is stated that, hunger strike amounts to strike. Further, BSNLEU has also stated that, by banning dharnas and hunger strikes, the Management is violating the  Right to Assembly of the employees, as enshrined in Article 19(1)(b) of the Indian Constitution. BSNLEU has demanded withdrawal of this letter. 

The Delhi High Court, in it’s order dated 20^th January, 2021, has mentioned that the right to receive salary is the fundamental right according to Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. However, the BSNL Management is violating this fundamental right of the employees for the past one year.  In continuation of the conciliation conducted yesterday, by the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), BSNLEU has quoted this in it’s letter addressed to the Dy.CLC(C).

BSNLEU is consistently pressurising the BSNL Management and the DoT to issue Presidential Orders to around 400 Temporary Status Mazdoors (TSMs), who have been directly promoted as Telecom Technicians. Due to the efforts taken by BSNLEU, the BSNL Corporate Office has now sent the file for the approval of the DoT. BSNLEU has once again written to Shri Anshu Prakash, Secretary, Telecom, requesting him to get the matter examined and cause to issue the necessary Presidential Orders to the officials.

Based on the letters written by BSNLEU, the DPE has directed the DoT to take necessary action in the matter of payment of IDA to the Non-Executives of BSNL. Based on this, BSNLEU has written to the Secretary, Telecom, today, requesting him to issue necessary direction to the BSNL Management for the immediate payment of 5.5% IDA and 6.1% IDA that have become due w.e.f. 01.10.2020 and 01.01.2021, respectively. 

The DR JEs recruited to a particular circle, are entitled to go on transfer under Rule 8 on completion of 5 years of service. However, these DR JEs are facing problems. In many places, their transfer applications are not being forwarded to the CGM Office, by the subordinate officers. When these applications are forwarded and get approved, the DR JEs are not being relieved under the pretext of shortage of JEs. BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), seeking his intervention. BSNLEU has demanded that the transfer applications of DR JEs should not be withheld by the subordinate officers. Further, the officials should be relieved, soon after their transfer requests are approved.

The DPE is repeatedly clarifying that, the IDA freezing is not applicable to the Non-Executives. At the same time, the DPE is also not issuing order for the payment of two instalments of IDA (5.5% + 6.1%) to the Non-Executives. The writ petition filed by BSNLEU in the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala is likely to come up for hearing soon. In the meanwhile, BSNLEU has written to Shri Prakash Javadekar, Hon'ble Minister of Heavy Industries, seeking his intervention to ensure that the DPE issues letter immediately, for the payment of two instalments of IDA to the Non-Executives.