Prakasam District has held its biennial conference at Ongole on 19-09-2021. The open session was held jointly with BSNLEU and was addressed by a host of leaders including Com. P Asokababu, CHQ Vice President, K Ramadevi, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU. Com. V Venkaiah presided over the subject session. Com.S K Aziz, District Secretary presented the report and accounts which were adopted after discussion. Coms. Mohamad Yaseen, S K Aziz and Sastrulu have been unanimously elected President, District Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.

The three days Dharna by AUAB, a very important programme of Agitation has started at Jantar Mantar on 21-09-2021. The demands are prominently displaced which include Wage Revision, Pension Revision, 30% SAB to BSNL recruited employees, Immediate launching of 4G, Immediate payment of Rs.39,000 crore due from DoT, timely payment of salary. The Dharna is being addressed by leaders of the AUAB, including Coms.Chandeswar Singh(Chairman) P Abhimanyu (Convenor) K Sebastin, GS, SNEA.There is very good participation and pensioners are also participating as per the call of CHQ.

Organize the World Pensioners and Retirees!

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEEOF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS.

(Registered undder the T.U. Act.No. RTU01/2021.Dated.7.01.2021

PAN NO AAEAN8586F nccpahq.blogspot.in. Email:nccpahq@gmail.com.

13.c Feroze Shah Road,New Delhi. 110 001

PRESIDENT: COM.SHIV GOPAL MISHRA.(97176 47594)

SECy. GENERAL: COM.K.K.N.KUTTY. (98110 483030)

Dated: 12TH SEPTEMBER,, 2021.

Dear Comrades!

ORGANIZE EFFECTIVELY 1st OCTOBER TUI CALL

We send herewith a copy of TUI (P & R) letter calling upon its affiliates to observe Ist October, 2021 as the “DAY OF ELEDERLY’. Being an affiliate of TUI, we did observe the day on Ist October, 2020 in the midst of the raging corona virus pandemic. This year is no different as only a fraction of our country men could be vaccinated. However, the situation is slightly better as most of the government offices and private institutions have opened for operation, though not fully.

FOR A DIGNIFIED LIFE THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES is the slogan NCCPA calls upon its affiliates and state units to organise the programme through demonstration, rally, dharna, etc. as they deem fit as per the local conditions and send photographs to us for onward transmission to the TUI Headqarters.

With greetings,

fraternally,

Sd/-KKN Kutty Secretary General.

TUI CIRCULAR:

6th WORLD DAY OF STRUGGLE FOR PENSIONERSDAY OF THE ELDERLY OCTOBER 1, 2,021

The elderly, whose date of remembrance for the United Nations and of our struggle, is the 1st of October, that last year we spent more or less at the height of the coronavirus pandemic and the current one we face at the height of vaccination, although only for some countries and some sectors of the population.The pandemic, like any crisis, only uncovered the pot, to highlight the economic and social scourges, which are inherent (structural and systemic) to the capitalist system, such as the great inequality, between a small group of the world bourgeoisie, of those who are representatives of the imperialist phase, and the vast majority of the world population, limited and lacking all basic services, which must survive in a high percentage of subhuman conditions.

The pandemic has meant the worsening of working conditions, unjustified layoffs, wage cuts, the bankruptcy of small businesses, but none of this is new, only now the pandemic serves as an argument, the pandemic has become the front man of the capitalist system, because all the ills of the system are being put in the name of the pandemic.

The conditions through which we, the elderly, have had to travel, existed since before the pandemic, the abuses in homes, residences, and nursing homes, the lack of free medical care and medicines, the misery pensions for retirees, the absence of pensions for the majority of the elderly people in the world, which go hand in hand with the illicit and corrupt enrichment of private retirement fund organizations; in the assault of the world’s private banks on the resources of those who gave their lives to enrich them, before when we were active workers they exploited us, now when we are retirees they steal from us.

We older people are a responsibility of the State, beyond the fact that in the stage of our previous life we have worked more years or less years, with more or less remuneration, because to give us work and a decent remuneration, is also the responsibility of that State. Then every elderly person should have guaranteed conditions for a dignified life, like any human being.

It has become clear, as without a pandemic, that some people and countries are more important than others, because, for example, the pharmaceutical transnationals hand in hand with the rich countries have crowded a few countries with vaccines until they have surpluses, while the poor countries have a dropper, or it does not reach them. It is simply imperialist behaviour at this stage of capitalist development.But it has also become clear that there is an ideological pandemic, which created in the laboratories of the bourgeoisie and imperialism, is lashing out at our peoples, with a variety of social democratic theories of class conciliation, which is aimed especially at workers, in order to make them believe that their situation of misery is negotiable, and that it can be fixed without fundamentally altering the capitalist system as such.

They are even capable of questioning neoliberalism, to proposing supposed and non-existent variants of socialism, but without destroying the capitalist system. They are only proposing new economic strains of the same capitalist virus.Consequently, it is the task of the elderly, of those who were conscious workers, and of those who have once retired have decided to fight, to take up the theoretical tools of the class struggle, to train the new generations, in the understanding of what the current system based on the exploitation of the labor force by capital, to arrive at the need to move towards a new type of society, of a totally different society, more humane and without exploitation.

As the world’s only organization of retired persons, we have collected more than 600 signatures from various organizations in more than 60 countries, to the Open Letter that we announced at the ILO on the 14th of June. There are more and more organizations that join our fight, and with all of them we are going to make a GREAT DAY ON OCTOBER 1.

All kinds of activities (demonstrations, rallies, assemblies, various events, delivery of documents, etc., adapted to each reality) will surpass those that were already successful 5 previous World Days of Struggle of pensioners.The photographs, videos and documents that will capture this new Day will be the best demonstration that pensioners will help to end Capitalism, which is the great evil of Humanity.

FOR A DIGNIFIED LIFE, THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!LONG LIVE THE SIXTH WORLD DAY OF STRUGGLE OF PENSIONERS!

19^th September 2021 is the 53^rd anniversary of the historic one day token strike of the central government employees organised on 19^th September 1968. The day is being observed throughout the country by the CG employees.

The major demands of the strike were grant of minimum wage, DA according to the cost of living index and merger of DA with pay. All these issues were taken by the unions in the newly formed National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM), but not only they were denied, but also arbitration was refused despite provision for the same in JCM constitution. No fruitful discussion took place even after serving of strike notice.  There was no other go before the unions, but to resort to strike. Government promulgated Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) according to which strikers were liable to be punished with 6 months imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 500. Those who instigated strike were to be punished with one year imprisonment and a fine of Rs.1000.

Lakhs and lakhs of workers went on strike on the day crippling the entire central services, despite ordinance and other black laws. P & T, Railways, Defence, Audit & Accounts, Income tax and other services were severely affected by the strike. It was almost standstill in many essential services.

Tens of Thousands of workers were arrested, jailed and punished. Lakhs of employees were suspended, terminated and charge sheeted.  Seventeen employees were either shot dead or beaten to death and became martyrs for the cause of the workers. Such repressive measures were seldom seen earlier. Recognition of the unions was withdrawn.

 It was only the Communist government in Kerala with Com.E.M.S.Namboodiripad as Chief Minister, which declared that the state government will not implement the ESMA against the striking workers. There was rumour that the state government may be dismissed, but nothing happened.

The repression and victimisation were condemned by the central trade unions, except INTUC. Heated discussion took place in the Parliament with the Communist and other Left M.P.s strongly raising their voice for vacation of victimisation and acceptance of the demands of the workers.   International trade unions declared their solidarity and support to the strike and condemned the victimisation.

The next three years was a period of incessant struggles against victimisation. By about 1971 almost all workers were reinstated. But severe punishments were imposed.  Recognition of the unions was restored.

53 years are over after the One Day Token strike of 1968. Those who were participants in the strike are all retired. Some have left us forever. But we remember their courage, unity and steadfastness in going in to the struggle against all odds and refusing to surrender to the repressive measures of the government.

Though it took many more years, the right of DA increase as per increase in cost of living index is established. Some other demands are also achieved, but not the need based minimum wage.

During the Covid pandemic period, Modi government  has frozen increased DA and DR  for workers and pensioners for long 18 months since January 2020. From July 2021 it is restored, but the arrears continue as frozen. Trade union rights are being curtailed. Hard won labour achievements are being taken way. Pension Revision for BSNL pensioners has not been given. Medical allowances and reimbursement are still to be settled.

Sustained struggles are being waged by Kisans against the anti-kisan laws passed by the government. Central trade unions are on continuous struggles. It is under such circumstances that we are observing the fifty third anniversary of the historic strike of 19^th September 1968.

On this day, we salute the martyrs of the 1968 strike and pledge to continue the struggles for the cause of the workers. 

Red Salute to the Martyrs of 1968 Strike !

Unity for Struggle, Struggle for Unity!

K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary, AIBDPA

Organize the World Pensioners and Retirees!

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEEOF PENSIONERS ASSOCIATIONS.

(Registered undder the T.U. Act.No. RTU01/2021.Dated.7.01.2021)

PAN NO AAEAN8586F Website: nccpahq.blogspot.in.

E mail: nccpahq@gmail.com.

13.c Feroze Shah Road,New Delhi. 110 001

PRESIDENT: COM.SHIV GOPAL MISHRA.(97176 47594)SECy. GENERAL: COM.K.K.N.KUTTY. (98110 483030)

Dated: 12TH SEPTEMBER,, 2021.

Dear Comrades!
ORGANIZE EFFECTIVELY 1st OCTOBER TUI CALL

We send herewith a copy of TUI (P & R) letter calling upon its affiliates to observe Ist October, 2021 as the “DAY OF ELEDERLY’. Being an affiliate of TUI, we did observe the day on Ist October, 2020 in the midst of the raging corona virus pandemic. This year is no different as only a fraction of our country men could be vaccinated. However, the situation is slightly better as most of the government offices and private institutions have opened for operation, though not fully. FOR A DIGNIFIED LIFE THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES is the slogan NCCPA calls upon its affiliates and state units to organise the programme through demonstration, rally, dharna, etc. as they deem fit as per the local conditions and send photographs to us for onward transmission to the TUI Headqarters.

With greetings,

Yours fraternally,

Sd/-KKN KuttySecretary General.

TUI CIRCULAR: 6th WORLD DAY OF STRUGGLE FOR PENSIONERSDAY OF THE ELDERLY OCTOBER 1, 2,021

The elderly, whose date of remembrance for the United Nations and of our struggle, is the 1st of October, that last year we spent more or less at the height of the coronavirus pandemic and the current one we face at the height of vaccination, although only for some countries and some sectors of the population.The pandemic, like any crisis, only uncovered the pot, to highlight the economic and social scourges, which are inherent (structural and systemic) to the capitalist system, such as the great inequality, between a small group of the world bourgeoisie, of those who are representatives of the imperialist phase, and the vast majority of the world population, limited and lacking all basic services, which must survive in a high percentage of subhuman conditions.

The pandemic has meant the worsening of working conditions, unjustified layoffs, wage cuts, the bankruptcy of small businesses, but none of this is new, only now the pandemic serves as an argument, the pandemic has become the front man of the capitalist system, because all the ills of the system are being put in the name of the pandemic.The conditions through which we, the elderly, have had to travel, existed since before the pandemic, the abuses in homes, residences, and nursing homes, the lack of free medical care and medicines, the misery pensions for retirees, the absence of pensions for the majority of the elderly people in the world, which go hand in hand with the illicit and corrupt enrichment of private retirement fund organizations; in the assault of the world’s private banks on the resources of those who gave their lives to enrich them, before when we were active workers they exploited us, now when we are retirees they steal from us.

We older people are a responsibility of the State, beyond the fact that in the stage of our previous life we have worked more years or less years, with more or less remuneration, because to give us work and a decent remuneration, is also the responsibility of that State. Then every elderly person should have guaranteed conditions for a dignified life, like any human being.

It has become clear, as without a pandemic, that some people and countries are more important than others, because, for example, the pharmaceutical transnationals hand in hand with the rich countries have crowded a few countries with vaccines until they have surpluses, while the poor countries have a dropper, or it does not reach them. It is simply imperialist behaviour at this stage of capitalist development.But it has also become clear that there is an ideological pandemic, which created in the laboratories of the bourgeoisie and imperialism, is lashing out at our peoples, with a variety of social democratic theories of class conciliation, which is aimed especially at workers, in order to make them believe that their situation of misery is negotiable, and that it can be fixed without fundamentally altering the capitalist system as such. They are even capable of questioning neoliberalism, to proposing supposed and non-existent variants of socialism, but without destroying the capitalist system. They are only proposing new economic strains of the same capitalist virus.Consequently, it is the task of the elderly, of those who were conscious workers, and of those who have once retired have decided to fight, to take up the theoretical tools of the class struggle, to train the new generations, in the understanding of what the current system based on the exploitation of the labor force by capital, to arrive at the need to move towards a new type of society, of a totally different society, more humane and without exploitation.

As the world’s only organization of retired persons, we have collected more than 600 signatures from various organizations in more than 60 countries, to the Open Letter that we announced at the ILO on the 14th of June. There are more and more organizations that join our fight, and with all of them we are going to make a GREAT DAY ON OCTOBER 1.

All kinds of activities (demonstrations, rallies, assemblies, various events, delivery of documents, etc., adapted to each reality) will surpass those that were already successful 5 previous World Days of Struggle of pensioners.The photographs, videos and documents that will capture this new Day will be the best demonstration that pensioners will help to end Capitalism, which is the great evil of Humanity.

FOR A DIGNIFIED LIFE, THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!

LONG LIVE THE SIXTH WORLD DAY OF STRUGGLE OF PENSIONERS

The Union Cabinet has approved certain reforms for the telecom sector. It includes nine structural reforms and five process reforms, mainly intended to help the three private telecom companies.

Vodafone Idea, one among the three major private telecom companies, is in the verge of a collapse. It must be understood that, the telecom reforms have been announced urgently, only to  salvage Vodafone Idea.

All the three private telecom companies are badly hit by the judgement delivered by the Supreme Court of India last year. There was a long standing dispute between the government and the private telecom companies, as to whether the ‘non-telecom revenues’ should be included for calculating the payment of License Fee and Spectrum Usage Charge. The Supreme Court delivered the judgement in favour of the government. As a result of this, all the three private telecom companies have been compelled to pay an amount of Rs.1.31 lakh crores. The Supreme Court has ordered that this amount should be paid over a period of ten years.

However, through the decision taken in the Cabinet, the government has deferred the aforementioned payment, for a period of four years. Even after the expiry of four years, the private companies need not compulsorily pay the amount. This is because, as per the decision of the Cabinet, the government can convert this outstanding amount into equity.  The government companies of BSNL and MTNL are not benefited by this decision.  

As a result of this decision, hereafter, the telecom companies need not pay License Fee or Spectrum Usage Charge for their Non-Telecom Revenues. However, this decision will benefit BSNL and MTNL only in a very small way, since their Non-Telecom Revenues are negligible.

Until now, the spectrum allotted to the telecom companies through auctioning, is for a period of 20 years. Hereafter, this tenure will be for 30 years. Again, this will only help the private telecom companies, because the spectrum being allotted to BSNL and MTNL  are for free.

Further, until now, only 49% FDI has been allowed under the Automatic Route. Any amount of FDI, beyond this limit, had to go through the Government Route. But, now, the Union Cabinet has decided to allow 100% FDI, under the automatic route. This decision of the government is detrimental to the security of the nation, since, this has opened the doors for the multinational companies to completely take over the Indian private telecom companies.

 The government is already trying it’s best to kill BSNL and MTNL. In case BSNL and MTNL are closed down in future, then the entire telecom operations will go into the hands of foreign companies. Telecom sector is considered to be the second line of defence. Hence, the decision of the government to allow 100% FDI under the Automatic Route is detrimental to the safety and security of the nation.

Above all, the so-called telecom reforms approved by the Union Cabinet, do not have much to offer to the ailing BSNL and MTNL. BSNL is already crippled because, the government is not allowing BSNL to procure 4G equipments. Private companies are procuring their equipments from global vendors. However, BSNL has been mandated to procure it’s 4G equipments only from domestic vendors. No Indian company is having proven 4G technology. Thus, the government has wantonly created road-blocks in the launching of 4G services by BSNL. Further, the government has to pay outstanding dues to BSNL, to the extent of Rs.39,000 crore. Timely repayment of this amount by the government will enable BSNL to invest in the expansion of it’s networks. However, it is regrettable that, the Union Cabinet has not taken any decision to allow BSNL to come out of it’s crisis. 

( Courtesy: BSNLEU Website)

Yes, Comrades, the United struggle has its own impact. The demonstration on 14-09-2021 called by the Coordination Committee of BSNLEU, AIBDPA AND BSNL CCWF has created much enthusiasm among the workers and pensioners as well. The thunderous slogans crossed the thick stone walls of the offices/ exchanges and reached to the bureaucrats sitting inside. The demands of pay revision, pension revision, wage arrears to contract workers, long pending medical bill payment, 30% Superannuation benefits to BSNL recruited employees etc are the burning issues of the workers and pensioners and they paricipated in large numbers despite pandemic and heavy rains in some places. So the struggle has given a strong message to the authorities and the government.CHQ heartily congratulate all the participant.

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TELECOM FACTORY, KOLKATA

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MADURAI, TAMIL NADU

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Com. M B Chaniyara, Circle Secretary, Gujarat & CHQ Organising Secretary inaugurated the 5th Jamnagar District Conference. In his inaugural address Com. M B Chaniyara gave a good account of recent developments in respect of the issues confronting the pensioners and appealed to make the agitational programmes being launched by the Coordination Committee of AIBDPA, BSNLEU & BSNL CCWF a grand success. The conference was held at Daya Shankar Brahmapuri on 12-09-2021. Com.R A Mehta, District President presided over the conference. Earlier, Com.N N Kaneria, District Secretary welcomed one and all and presented the report and accounts. Coms. V D Dhasaniya, Circle Vice President, R U Anjaria, Circle Treasurer, P N Mishra, H D Jadeja, S S Dubey and A A Ansari greeted the conference.

Office bearers were elected unanimously with the following important functionaries; Com.C M Amasra (Patron) Com.H D Jadeja (President) Com.N N Kaneria (District Secretary) and Com.R K Pujani (Treasurer)