The BSNL Management vide it’s letter no.BSNL/5-1/SR/2018 dated 02^nd July, 2019, has written to all the General Secretaries of the applicant unions, directing that no agitational programme should be organised till the process of Membership Verification is over. In that letter it is mentioned that the recognition of the unions has ceased in May, 2019. It is also threatened in that letter that, any applicant union, organising agitations during this period, would be debarred from participating in the Membership Verification. The argument of the Management is totally absurd and violative of the Labour Laws of the land. BSNLEU has written to the Management, demanding to withdraw this meaningless letter. Being a registered trade union, BSNLEU is having every right to organise legal agitational programme. BSNLEU has also lodged a complaint with the Chief Labour Commissioner in this regard. If required, BSNLEU will go to the court of law, to defend it’s trade union rights.

BSNL contract workers are not being paid salary for the past 6 months and the families of these contract workers are in starvation. Despite BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF are continuously taking up this issue with the Management, no improvement has come. In the meanwhile, news has come that 5 contract workers have so far committed suicide in West Bengal and Kolkata circles, unable to face the crisis created due to non-payment of wages. BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, communicating these tragedies and demanding immediate action for payment of wage arrears.

We have already informed through CHQ website that, the DoT has decided to take over the ALTTC campus located at Ghaziabad. The AUAB is strongly opposing this. It has written a detailed letter to Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble MoC & IT, with copies to the Principle Secretary, PMO, Cabinet Secretary, Secretary Telecom and the CMD BSNL, demanding that the ALTTC should not be taken over by the DoT.

Com.Tapan Sen, General Secretary, CITU, has written to Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble Minister for Communications and IT, expressing his concern about the disturbing reports coming in the media, regarding BSNL’s financial health. He has demanded immediate allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL and also financial assistance to the Company, for the upgradation of it’s networks. He has also demanded immediate payment of wage arrears to the contract workers and to stop their retrenchment. The General Secretary, CITU, has urged upon the Minister to drop the proposals for implementation of VRS and reduction of retirement age from 60 to 58, in view of the massive retirements taking place in the Company.

It has been brought to the notice of the CHQ of BSNLEU that, the candidates who appeared in the JTO LICE, held on 26.05.2019, have faced certain difficulties. As usual, in this LICE also, there are many out of syllabus questions and wrong / ambiguous answers. Further, it is reported that the standard of the questions is very high. Hence, BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL demanding full marks for the wrong questions, questions which are out of syllabus and questions with wrong / ambiguous and multiple answers. BSNLEU has also demanded granting of marks for the questions which are beyond the Diploma Engineering standard.

BSNL Corporate Office has issued a letter to all the CGMs, directing them to cut down the strength of contract workers. Only a few months back, all the circle administrations had cut down the strength of contract workers to the extent of up to 30%. Once again reducing the strength of contract workers will seriously hamper the maintenance of BSNL's vital networks and installations, and thereby, will impact the quality of services. BSNLEU has written to the CMD BSNL, with copy to the other full-time directors of BSNL Board, demanding not to cut down the strength of contract workers.

Based on the order of DoP&T, Corporate Office has renewed the payment of Special Concessions / Facilities to the employees working in Kashmir Valley, w.e.f. 01.01.2018. Currently, this allowance is being paid with the salary. However, the arrears from 01.01.2018 is not paid. BSNLEU has written to the Director (Finance), demanding to release funds for payment of the arrears.

In the backdrop of the indefinite strike, that was to start from 03-12-2018, talks were held between the CMD BSNL and the AUAB on 02-12-2018. In that talks, it was agreed by the CMD BSNL, for increasing the Management's contribution to the Superannuation benefits of the Directly Recruited employees. It was agreed to increase the contribution by 3% by the end of the financial year, and to increase the remaining portion in the subsequent financial year. However, this commitment is yet to be fulfilled. Hence, the AUAB has written to the CMD BSNL, demanding implementation of the assurance.

The BSNL Management has issued notice to certain leaders, for imposition of break-in service, under FR 17A, for participation in the 3 day strike, held in February, 2019. The AUAB has already demanded withdrawal of these notices, since FR 17A is not a part of the BSNL CDA Rules. The AUAB has once again written to the CMD BSNL, demanding an early solution of the issue.