It has come to our notice an open letter floated by AIBSNLPWA inviting other pensioners organisations for a joint online meeting on 12th September, 2022 on pension revision issue.
Is this organisation sincere and serious of the joint efforts for the settlement of this vital issue.?
We don’t think so.
Primarily this is not the proper way to invite other organisations.Are the other organisations not known to them and are these organisations address less to call them through an open letter? This type of treatment amounts to nothing but insult.
AIBDPA has also tried for a joint struggle earlier in 2020 for the settlement of the important issue by writing to all the important organisations individually. So the intention of this organisation is not actually for unity of all the pensioners organisations but only to save their skin from utter embarrassment.
They claimed that their proposal for pension revision with CPC fitment has been agreed to by the MOC. DoT also approved it and sent to DOP&PW. It was published in their website under the name of the General Secretary on 25-08-2022. The date of the posting is important that it was on the previous day AIBDPA staged an historic and massive Sanchar Bhawan March participated by more than 2000 pensioners in culmination of the three phased agitation started with the Demands Day on 22-06-2022 and followed by Mass Dharna at SSA level on 20th July. Perhaps the biggest agitation in the history of any pensioners movement in India. Naturally, this has put the Government to tremendous pressure and compelled to do something positive. The struggle got support and solidarity from all central government employees and pensioners organisations led by Confederation and NCCPA, AIPRPA, Trade Union International ( Pensioners & Retirees) and main Service union in BSNL , BSNLEU which is also a significant factor for positive result. BSNL management had to allot necessary funds for clearing medical bills and allowance pending for the last four years. Also the management has now issued orders for regulating the payment of Medical benefits at par with the employees.
After the General Secretary, their President again wrote in their website glorifying the “Great Achievement” and praising and thanking the General Secretary, Vice President etc as if orders are issued. He also claimed the sole authority and proprietorship of the achievement.The very next day, their General Secretary vide his posting had to state that according to another pensioners organisation, the DoT proposal is reported to be for zero percent fitment and complained that DoT is not transparent. All these have thoroughly exposed the hollowness of their tall and fake claims even among their own members. And that is why we say that the open letter is nothing but another gimmick to save their skin.
We are not in the habit of spreading speculations and rumours and it is unbecoming of any genuine organisation
.Regarding Pension Revision, basically it is only the Central Government to take a decision and once a positive decision is taken by the government, no buerocracy can scuttle it. So there is no point in accusing the buerocracy alone. The stand of the government is based on its neoliberal policy being implemented aggressively. It is not because one minister culture less and another minister cultured. So pressure has to be exerted through struggles to change the stand of the government and that is what exactly AIBDPA is doing.
We don’t belittle the efforts of any pensioners organisation on the issue of pension revision. We have the firm opinion that we want the support of the employees organisations also for the settlement of pension revision as in the case of pension revision in 2007, 78.2% IDA fitment and annulment of 60:40 condition etc. It is also to be remembered that in 2018, in the wake of the two days strike by AUAB, the then Minister had to state that pension revision will be delinked from wage revision
So the need of the hour is to build broad unity not only among the pensioners organisations but also that of the employees organisations. It is also important that mere lip service will not serve the purpose but further powerful agitations may be warranted for a reasonable settlement of pension revision.We shall wholeheartedly welcome any initiative from any organisation in this direction.