The All India Committee meeting of the BSNL Working Women's Coordination Committee (BSNL WWCC) is being held on 19th February, 2021. In view of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic situation, this meeting also is being held online. Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, will inaugurate this meeting. The meeting will discuss and decide, among other things, the observing of the forthcoming International Women’s Day.

As is already informed, the Dy.CLC (Central) has issued notice for holding conciliation between BSNLEU, DoT and the BSNL Management, physically on 16.02.2021, in the office of the Deputy Labour Commissioner(C), at New Delhi. Since, Com.P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU, is unwell and is under treatment at Pondicherry, he requested the Dy.CLC office to hold it as an "online conciliation". The request of the General Secretary has been accepted and the conciliation on 16.02.2021 will be held online. 

BSNLEU has given call for country wide hunger strike on 18.02.2021, demanding payment of salary on the due date and also demanding settlement of important HR issues.  BSNLEU has marked a copy of the notification to the Chief Labour Commissioner. Today, the Deputy Labour Commissioner (Central) has issued notice for holding conciliation on this matter on 16.02.2021. The Dy.CLC(C) has issued the notice to :-

(1)    Shri Anshu Prakash, Secretary (Telecom), DoT.

(2)    Shri P.K. Purwar, CMD BSNL.

(3)    Shri Arvind Vadnerkar, Director (HR), BSNL.

(4)    Ms. Yojana Das, Director (Finance), BSNL.

(5)    Com.P. Abhimanyu, General Secretary, BSNLEU.

(6)    Shri A.M. Gupta, Sr.GM(SR), BSNL C.O.

The CHQ feels satisfied that, the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) has taken BSNLEU's notification for Hunger Strike seriously. At the same time, it is also a fact that, the BSNL Management and the DoT don't take these conciliations seriously. 

The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the umbrella body of nine trade unions, has given call for a two day country wide strike on 15^th & 16^th March, 2021, against privatisation of the Public Sector Banks. Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman has announced in her Budget speech that, two public sector banks would be privatised. The NDA government has already sold the IDBI Bank. It is also in the process of privatising LIC, among other measures, like increasing FDI in the insurance sector up 74%, setting up of a “Bad Bank”, etc. BSNLEU congratulates the UFBU for it’s fight against privatisation. 

The Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology has criticised that, India is set to miss the 5G Bus, due to poor planning and execution. In the report, placed before the Parliament on 08^th February, 2021, the report has stated that so far certain bands within 5G spectrum, have not even been identified and no spectrum allocation has taken place. The DoT has informed this Parliamentary Committee on IT that, by the end of 2021 or in early 2022, 5G will be rolled out for some specific use cases. The DoT has also informed the Committee that 4G should continue in India for at least another 5 to 6 years.

[Source: Forbes Magazine, published on 9^th February, 2021]

BSNLEU has written to the Director (HR) BSNL, explaining about the difficulties and pains being suffered by the DR JEs, in getting their legitimate transfers, after completing the stipulated period of service in their recruited circles. On seeing BSNLEU’s letter, the DR JEs posted in the distant Mizoram SSA, NE-I circle, have written to the General Secretary, BSNLEU, detailing the sufferings being experienced  by them, due to the non-getting of transfers, even after completing 7 years in the circle bordering Burma. It really pains to note that, the sufferings of these DR JEs are not being looked into and redressed by the concerned authorities. BSNLEU will take up this issue vigorously to find an early solution. A portion of the letter of the aggrieved DR JEs, sent to BSNLEU, is reproduced herein below.

The standing counsel of BSNL has filed his affidavit in the Hon’ble Kerala High Court on 09.02.2021, wherein he has stated that, as per the Wage Revision Agreement, signed between the BSNL Management and the representatives of the Recognised Union of the Non-Executives, the increase in the IDA is to be paid only when the IDA rates are circulated by the DPE from time to time. It is further stated that, the DPE has not declared revised rates of IDA w.e.f. 01.10.2020. The advocate engaged by BSNLEU has informed that, he is taking steps for the early hearing of the case. 

The CHQ has issued circular no.02/2021, carrying the decisions taken in the All India Centre meeting held online on 06.02.2021. Circle and District Secretaries are requested to fully implement the decisions of the All India Centre. The Circle Secretaries of the Non-Hindi speaking circles are requested to translate the circular in the regional languages and to forward it to the district secretaries, so that the contents of the circular could be understood and fully implemented by the district unions. Hindi version of this circular is being despatched shortly.