Respected President, Comrade Dimos Koumpouris, General Secretary Com. Quim Boix, other distinguished leaders on the dias, hosting Comrades of Greece and delegates participating from various countries representing numerous organizations both physically and on Zoom platform.

On behalf of AIBDPA, the militant and fighting organisation of Telecom pensioners of India, I have the privilege of extending Revolutionary Greetings to all of you. My hearty congratulations to our Greek comrades for hosting and holding this historic 3rd Congress at the capital city of Athens, which has the rich heritage of the famous ancient city, in a befitting manner.

I am extremely sorry for not being present physically among you and missing the great opportunity to see you all in person due to Visa problem. My hearty thanks to our beloved General Secretary Com. Quim Boix for extending the opportunity to participate in the 3rd Congress on the Zoom platform.

Comrades, we are having this 3rd Congress at Athens after five years since the 2nd Congress at Bogotá in 2019 and during these five years we have advanced and rejuvenated as the only world organization of the pensioners and retirees, thanks to our great and visionary leadership. But at the same time there are deficiencies and weaknesses, which warrant our serious attention and effective measures for resolution.

1. The main problem is lack of initiative in organising the pensioners and retirees in many countries even by WFTU affiliated trade unions in their respective countries. I am fully aware of the great efforts by our General Secretary Com. Quim Boix through the WFTU leadership in this regard.It is observed that in many countries the retired persons are continuing in the leadership of trade unions of workers wherever the rules permit it. WFTU had taken a decision to the effect that the vast majority of the workers are still unorganized and it is the duty of the organised section to organise the unorganized. Accordingly in some countries like India CITU took the initiative to organise the casual and contract workers and the pensioners and that is how AIBDPA, AIPRPA, AIITPA, AKBRF, AILICPA, AIAAPA,BSNLCCWF, AIPCWF etc were formed. We do not know the real position in this regard in other countries.
2. When we organised the 2nd Asia Regional Conference at Thiruvananthapuram on 1st October, 2023, the main problem we faced was lack of adequate representation from the Asian countries. Only three countries ie India, Nepal and Sri Lanka participated despite earnest efforts made by Comrade Quim Boix, General Secretary, Com. K. Ragavendran, Asia Coordinator and the Organising Committee. Barring this, the 2nd Asia Regional Conference was a grand success. The issues being faced by the pensioners and retirees were discussed in detail. The online speeches by Com. Pambis Kyritsis , General Secretary WFTU and Com. Quim Boix, General Secretary TUI (P&R) were highly appreciated.
3. There are instances wherein some of our affiliated organisations are toeing the line of the respective self styled “Social Democratic” governments, jeopardizing the basic principles of TUI (P&R).
4. Finance is very important for any organization for its effective functioning. But our leadership is burdened in this regard due to non -receipt of fees / yearly quota from many affiliates. In some countries like India, bank transfer has been made impossible, purposely by the government and the Indian affiliates were not able to remit their quota during the last five years. However, arrangements are now made for payment of quota directly during this 3rd Congress. But it is necessary to find out some alternate arrangement for timely remittances of yearly quota in future.
5. Lack of awareness or failure to understand the issues in proper and correct perspective may put the particular organization in difficulty. Therefore ideological updating is very much necessary and our TUI (P&R) leadership has taken adequate care to include it as one of the important tasks in the report.
6. We are all aged and most of us are ailing too. Therefore, burdening the General Secretary with each and everything is not at all desirable. In this connection, effective proposals are made in the report to share the responsibilities and also to replace an office bearer found to be inactive.
7. Women representation is another area that we should have a clear perspective and effective proposals. Unfortunately, much importance is not being given on this important issue by most of the organizations. TUI ( P& R) has to be a role model for empowering the women in all aspects and should guide the affiliated organizations to follow suit.

AIBDPA and it’s functioning.

All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association is an organization consisting of pensioners and family pensioners of the Department of Telecommunications and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd ( BSNL ) in India. It was formed in 2009 and due to its militant style of functioning, mainly organising struggles demanding settlement of important issues of the pensioners, AIBDPA has advanced as one of the major pensioners organisations in India. It is affiliated to NCCPA ( National Coordination Committee of Pensioners Association ) since its inception and continues to be one of the dominant affiliates. AIBDPA is part of TUI (P&R) since its first Congress held at Barcelona in 2014.

We have a website, aibdpa.com, being regularly updated with important developments, struggles and government orders. We also publish a quarterly journal, Tele Pensioner. Social media like WhatsApp and Face Book are also being utilised for campaigns.

We have achieved many demands through sustained struggles. We were denied medical benefits for about four years and had to organise continuous struggles, even during the Covid 19 pandemic. Finally a mammoth march of pensioners at New Delhi was organised on 24th August, 2022 after which the medical benefits were paid with arrears. This has boosted the confidence of our Comrades and attracted more pensioners to our fold. It also compelled the government of India to hold a discussion on 17th October, 2022 on the long pending issue of pension revision due from 01-01.2017. But the issue is still pending unresolved, though we organised several agitations not only by AIBDPA but also under the banner of Joint Forum of 8 Pensioners Associations. NCCPA also included the pension revision in its charter of demands on which a four phased struggle, culminating in a powerful Delhi March on 12-07-2023 was organised .

We are thankful to TUI(P&R) for supporting our struggles and also for circulating to all the affiliates with multiple translation and publication of these on the website.

Attacks on pension.

The first attack started against the defined and statutory benefit pension scheme which ensured 50% of the last salary as pension by replacing it with a contributory pension scheme called National Pension Scheme. It has since been proved to be a No Pension Scheme against which sustained joint struggles are launched unitedly by the organizations of Central government employees, state government employees and that of the Public Sectors and pensioners as well . This has its impact with some of the state governments deciding to restore the Old Pension Scheme. The Indian government also was compelled to appoint a Secretary level Committee to examine the possibility of any positive change within the frame work of NPS. But we cannot expect anything favourable from this Committee.

Another pension scheme made applicable for the vast majority of workers including for the private sector workers, is EPF Pension Scheme which is most retrograde and by which only a very meagre amount of pension is being paid . The government is trying to deny even a slight increase, as eligible as per the verdict of the Supreme Court of India.

The Indian government under Narendra Modi is pursuing aggressively the neoliberal policies by which the Corporates are given undue concessions while the common people are burdened with the record unemployment and unbearable price rise of essential commodities. The gap between the rich and poor is alarmingly widened. In addition, the government is trying to divide the people in the name of caste and religion. Also the government has started to show it’s fascist tendancies resorting to pressure tactics on all the constitutional institutions to toe the government line. Though the general elections is round the corner, the government did not care to concede even smaller and long pending issues of the pensioners including restoration of railway travel concession to the senior citizens withdrawn during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Kerala shows the alternative.

In sharp contrast to the policies of Narendra Modi government, the left Democratic government of Kerala is implementing so many schemes for the welfare of the common people without compromising on modern developmental activities. Kerala is implementing a pension scheme, called the social welfare pension to all weaker sections, ₹1,600 is being paid to more than 60 lakh people every month.

Comrades, our moto, Universal Pension, has to be made a reality for which we all have to strive hard to replace our class enemy, the capitalism with progressive left / socialist governments. It is not an easy task but not impossible too. So let us strengthen our own organisations, strengthen our TUI(P&R) and organise struggles unitedly with working class to acheive the goal.

Long Live TUI (P&R)
Long Live WFTU
Long Live the 3rd Congress.

Thank you Comrades.