On 04-05-2024, BSNLEU has written a letter to The Hon'ble Minister of Communications, expressing it's serious concern over the inordinate delay in the commissioning of 4G network by the TCS and the massive exodus of customers from BSNL, due to the non-availability of 4G / 5G service. BSNL has also highlighted that 1.8 crore customers had left BSNL in the financial year ended March, 2024. BSNL has urged upon the Hon'ble Minister to take urgent steps to enable BSNL to provide 4G service by utilising Vodafone Idea's network. This letter has received wide coverage in the National newspapers. The Financial Express and the ET Telecom have prominently published BSNLEU's letter. We hereunder reproduce the above mentioned newspaper clippings.

The commissioning of BSNL's 4G network is getting horribly delayed. As a result of this, customers are leaving BSNL massively. BSNLEU is continuously writing letters to the Hon'ble Minister of Communications and to the BSNL Management, highlighting the massive exodus of customers from BSNL, due to the non-availability of 4G / 5G service. BSNLEU had already requested the government to permit BSNL to utilise Vodafone Idea's network temporarily, for providing 4G service to it's customers. However, it is unfortunate that, the government has not taken any action. On 16-04-2024, BSNLEU has organised nationwide demonstrations, demanding government's immediate intervention on this matter. The New Indian Express dated 04-05-2024 has reported that, totally 1.8 crore customers have left BSNL in the financial year ended March, 2024. The newspaper report also says that, 23 lakh customers have left BSNL in the month of March, 2024 alone. Under this circumstance, BSNLEU has once again written letter to Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon'ble Minister of Communications today, demanding the prompt intervention of the government, to enable BSNL to immediately provide 4G service to it's customers. Copy of the letter is enclosed for the information of our comrades.

BSNLEU conveys it's revolutionary May Day greetings to all the comrades. On this day, we pay our respectful homage to the May Day martyrs, who sacrificed their lives in the struggle against exploitation and for achieving 8 hours' working day. We vow to carry forward the fight against all sorts of exploitations, in the path shown by the May Day martyrs.

Meeting for renewal of BSNL Health Insurance was held yesterday the 29.04.2024, under the chairmanship of Shri Sanjeev Thyagi, PGM (Admin). Smt. Anita Johri, PGM(SR), Shri S.P.Singh PGM(Estt) and Shri Rajeev Sharma, DGM (Admin) were present in the meeting. Com.John Varghese, Acting General Secretary, Com.C.K. Gundanna, AGS and Com.Ashwin Kumar, Org. Secretary (CHQ) represented BSNLEU. It was noted that the renewal quote provided by M/s. Oriental Insurance was considerably high, and as a result, it was unanimously decided to reject the new rates.

BSNLEU demanded detailed information on the total outgo for each category of renewal and the total claims in each category, amount-wise. It was proposed to solicit quotes from other four PSU insurance companies and the top six private insurance companies also.

Furthermore, BSNLEU suggested that BSNL should contribute a certain percentage towards the renewal of premium, considering the significant savings of over 20 crores each year on BSNL MRS for the past two years. Figures Provided by M/s. Oriental Insurance Company are as follows:

Total Premium Paid by BSNL: Rs 12.52 Cr

Policy Run Days: 278

Number of Optees: 4302

Reported Claims: Rs 17.22 Cr

Paid Claims: Rs 10.19 Cr

Repudiated Claims: Rs 0.28 Cr

Claims Pending for Payment: Rs 2.71 Cr

Total Incurred during Run Days: Rs 12.90 Cr

It was noted that the amount for remaining days are approximately Rs.10,30,351/-.

The CHQ of BSNLEU calls upon the circle and district unions to observe this year’s May Day by hoisting the Union flag, participating in rallies and organising seminars and special meetings. We shall pay homage to the May Day martyrs, who laid down their lives in Chicago in 1886, fighting to achieve the demand of 8 hours’ work, 8 hours' recreation and 8 hours' sleep. On one side, the capitalists class is trying to increase the working hours. It is in this background that, Shri Narayana Murthy, co-founder of the Infosys, has told that the Indian youth should work for 70 hours a week. On the other side, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), of which BSNLEU is an affiliate, has raised the demand for 35 hours’ work in a week. Militant struggles of the working class have taken place in the recent months in all the developed capitalist nations like the UK, Germany, France, the US, etc., on the demands of  wage increase and reducing the workload. All these issues need to be highlighted in our slogans, meetings, rallies, etc., to be organised in this year’s May Day. Circle and district unions of BSNLEU are requested to effectively organise this year’s May Day activities and send the reports and photos to the CHQ.