The Sanchar Sewa Padak Award-2018 was held in the BSNL Corporate Office on 27.12.2019. Since, trade unions play constructive role in improving the efficiency of the services and customer satisfaction, it goes without saying that Recognised Trade Union should be invited to these functions in the appropriate manner. However, the Corporate Office is in the habit of only giving last minute telephonic invitation to the Recognised Union. BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, expressing it's displease and requesting to ensure that Recognsied Trade Union is invited in the appropriate manner.

CHQ has issued guideline to the circle and district unions regarding implementation of the Union Constitution utilising union funds. It has become necessary for the CHQ to issue such guideline, since instances has been brought to the notice of the CHQ about diversion of Union funds. Circle and district unions are requested to strictly adhere to the instruction.

Shri K.C.G.K. Pillai retired in November, 2013, from the post of Director (Finance), BSNL. Ever since then, the Director (Finance), BSNL post is lying vacant. When every effort is being taken to ensure the financial revival of BSNL, the Director (Finance) post cannot remain vacant. BSNLEU has written to the Hon’ble Minister of Communications, requesting to take the needful action, for filling up the post at the earliest. 

BSNL’s revival package was announced with much fanfare. Through the VRS-2019, nearly 80,000 employees are going to be sent home by January, 2020. Government has also allotted 4G spectrum to BSNL. However, the vendors, viz., ZTE, Nokia, etc., are not coming forward to upgrade BSNL’s BTSs, since BSNL has not paid the outstanding amount of around Rs.3,800 crores to these companies. BSNL is also not having the cash flow to pay electricity bills, clear contractors’ bills and contract workers’ wages, salary on time to the employees, remittance of the dues already deducted from employees’ salaries, etc. The next 3 to 4 months are going to be crucial for BSNL. The Company needs short term financial help to tide over this financial strain. Otherwise, BSNL’s revival will remain as a distant dream, despite the revival package given by the government. BSNLEU has written to the Hon’ble Minister of Communications, soliciting his immediate intervention for helping BSNL to overcome the hiccup.

CHQ has printed posters in English, for organising the one day General Strike to be held on 8^th January, 2020 and the same has been despatched to the various district unions today. On getting delivery of the posters, District Secretaries are requested to immediately make arrangement for their display. Further, Circle Secretaries are also requested to get the posters translated in the regional languages. Uploading of the posters in the CHQ website can be used for this purpose.

As per the decision of the CEC meeting held at Ghaziabad on 12th & 13th October, 2019, BSNLEU is participating in the one day General Strike to be held on 08^th January, 2020. Accordingly, BSNLEU has issued the strike notice today. Together with the demands finalised by the Central Trade Unions, the following demands of BSNL employees are also included in the strike notice.

1. No privatisation / disinvestment of BSNL.
2. Implement 3^rdPay Revision to BSNL employees w.e.f. 01.01.2017.
3. Extend financial assistance to BSNL for the expansion / upgradation of BSNL’s networks and compensation for loss making rural services.
4. Revision of pension to BSNL retirees w.e.f. 01.01.2017.
5. Ensure 30% Superannuation Benefits to BSNL’s Directly Recruited employees.
6. Payment of salary to BSNL employees on due date by BSNL / DoT.
7. Ensure payment of wages to contract workers.

A good number of retired Sr.TOAs in Maharashtra circle are aggrieved, with regards to their settlement of pension. The CCA, Maharashtra circle is raising objection to the pay fixation done to these Sr.TOAs, on their promotion under OTBP. Under the OTBP scheme, the pay scale of a Sr.TOAs was upgraded from 5700-160-8100 scale to 7100-200-10100, on completion of 16 years of service. This is being objected to by the CCA, Maharashtra. According to them, on completion of 16 years of service, the pay scale of Sr.TOA should be upgraded only to 6550-185-9325 and not to 7100-200-10100. This is a wrong interpretation. BSNLEU has written to the Member (Finance) of the Telecom Commission, requesting to issue the needful instruction to the CCA, Maharashtra circle on this matter.

Out of the 1030 candidates appeared in the JTO LICE held on 26.05.2019, only 154 candidates have got qualified, which comes to only 14.95%. Besides not even a single candidate have passed from six circles including Andhra Pradesh, UP(West), Himachal Pradesh and J&K. Management has not considered the demand of BSNLEU for granting of full marks to the questions with wrong, multiple and ambiguous answers and also out of syllabus questions. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding to grant a relaxation of 10% for Group ‘A’ and 15% for Group ‘B’ and 15% in aggregate.

BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR), demanding immediate action by the BSNL Corporate Office, for the expeditious issuing of Presidential Orders to such of those TSMs who were directly promoted as Telecom Mechanic after 01.10.2000, without getting regularised as RMs.
 

Through it’s order issued on 06.11.2019, the BSNL Corporate Office has stopped the Special Duty Allowance being paid to the employees posted in the North East Region. In lieu of it, a Hardship Compensation @12.5%, with a ceiling of Rs.1,000 pm, has been introduced. BSNLEU has mentioned in it’s letter that this is violation of the decision of the BSNL Board and has demanded restoration of the Special Duty Allowance.