Department of Posts and BSNL are two institutions which cater to the needs of the people even at times of crises, natural calamities like floods, landslide etc, as also pandemics like COVID, NIPA, etc.  The workers of these essential services are committed to serve the nation at all times.

A cartoon in this connection, about the services maintained by Postmen, is reproduced below: He delivers postal and registered articles, medicines, Savings Bank, IFPB Apps, and Pension etc. Thanks to the Postman for the essential services even during COVID-19.

BSNL Corporate office has issued orders on 08-05-2020 on new norms for medical reimbursement, medical allowance, CGHS etc. AIBDPA has written to CMD BSNL a few days back about the extreme difficulties being  faced by the BSNL pensioners due to the non-payment of medical allowance and reimbursement. <<view order>>

The salary for the month of April 2020 for the 70,000 and odd BSNL employees has not been paid even after almost two weeks have passed since the due date. This is gross injustice to the workers, who are completely on duty even in the midst of corona virus, endangering themselves for the sake of connecting India.

It is to be mentioned that when offering VRS for 80 thousand workers, it was stated that the savings due to less amount of total wage bill after VRS will ensure salary payment in time. Three months are over after the implementation of VRS and the saving will come to about Rs. 1000 crore.

BSNL should ensure that the salary of employees are paid update as also the medical reimbursement and allowance to the pensioners as also wages to the contract labour with arrears.

Today, 12^th May is the International Nurses Day, which is observed on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing and the icon of nurses all over the world.  This year, it is also her 200^th birth anniversary. The day started being observed since 1974, in her honour.

World Health Organisation (WHO) has selected the theme for International Nurses Day this year as “Nursing the World to Health”.

The day gets more importance this year which comes in during the pandemic of Covid – 19, in which more than three lakh valuable lives have been lost already and more than 40 lakhs are under found positive for it. The entire world is in grip of corona virus and the countries are battling against its spread.

On this day we thank nurses all over the world, the angels who care for the ill and give solace to them!

<<view letter>>

Some of the states like U.P., M.P and Gujarat, ruled by BJP and states like Rajasthan ruled by the Congress are denying/curtailing the trade union rights and social benefits like EPF, ESI etc. utilising the COVID period.  The centre is thinking of increasing the working hours from 8 to 12 hours as demanded by the corporates and big business. An all-out attack on the working class is on the agenda of the BJP governments. The Central Trade Unions have expressed their strong protest.

We express our strong protest and demand the governments not to curtail the rights of the workers.

It is welcome in this scenario that the Labour Minister of Kerala has announced that there will be no curtailment of TU rights in Kerala.

As you are aware the BSNL contract workers are in dire distress due to non-receipt of wages for the last one year or more. They are in great difficulties to look after their families and are literally starving. AIBDPA CHQ has called upon our members to collect liberal donation and give relief to the contract workers.

CHQ is getting good reports from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kolkata, CORTO, Karnataka etc. where collections have been made and relief distributed. Other circles which have collected are requested to intimate the same to CHQ so that the same can be published in the website.

Kerala Circle, AIBDPA, has donated Rs.23,03,899 to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) and the same was announced in the daily Press Conference of the Chief Minister.  The amount was collected and paid to CMDRF as per the call of the AIBDPA (CHQ) in the COVID-19 situation to collect donation and pay to PMDRF or CMDRF.

During the floods in Kerala last year, similar donations were made by AIBDPA.

Despite the difficulty in collecting during the Covid situation, the district secretaries ensured that maximum collection is made. It is also to be mentioned here that the BSNL retirees have not been granted Pension Revision for the last three years which is due from 01-01-2017.

Congratulations to Kerala Comrades and Circle Secretary Com. Guruprasad for the best efforts in contributing to the Fund.

Gas leak in midnight yesterday at Visakhapatnam has resulted in the death of 11 persons and hospitalization of more than 5000 in serious condition.  The gas was leaked from a private chemical company. There has been serious security and safety lapse, and precious lives have been lost.

Our Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Let us hope that there is no further casualty.

The TEPC (Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council), an association of the Indian Telecom Equipment Manufactures, has complained to the government that, BSNL has violated the “Make in India” policy, in the procurement of 4G equipments. In the 4G tender floated by BSNL on 20.03.2020, the BSNL is laid down the following two conditions.