ALL UNIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS OF BSNL(AUAB)

Talks are held between the Secretary, Telecom, and the AUAB, today the 02-12-2018. It is observed that improvements are there in the issues of allotment of 4G spectrum, Pension Revision and Payment of Pension Contribution by BSNL as per government rule. However, deadlock is prevailing in the issue of 3rd Pay Revision. The AUAB is not convinced with the reply given by the Secretary, Telecom, on the status of this issue.

Under these circumstances, with the view to ensure an opportunity for having a discussion with the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications, the AUAB has decided to defer the indefinite strike for one week. In case a fruitful settlement does not arise in the meeting with the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications, the indefinite strike will start from 00:00 hours on 10-12-2018.
-P.Abhimanyu,GS.

BSNL employee unions allege govt patronising Reliance Jio; plan indefinite strike from December 3.

BSNL employee unions claimed that the govt has not allotted spectrum for 4G services to BSNL in order to prevent it from competing against Reliance Jio. The Union said in a statement, “Whole telecom industry is in a crisis due to the predatory pricing of Reliance Jio.” It alleged that Reliance Jio will steeply raise call and data tariffs once the entire competition is wiped out.

Blaming Reliance Jio for financial woes of the telecom sector, employee unions of BSNL on Wednesday alleged that the government was favouring the latest entrant over other firms and said they will go on an indefinite strike from December 3.
The employee unions claimed that the government has not allotted spectrum for 4G services to BSNL in order to prevent it from competing against Reliance Jio.

Reliance Jio did not comment on the allegations. “As of now, the whole telecom industry is gripped with a crisis…All these have happened due to the predatory pricing of the Mukesh Ambani owned Reliance Jio. The whole game plane of Reliance Jio is to wipe out its competitors, which includes the state owned BSNL,” BSNL unions said in a joint statement.

All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) alleged that with its huge financial muscle, Reliance Jio is offering services at ‘below-cost’ rates. It said that private telecom companies like Aircel, Tata Teleservices, Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Communications and Telenor have already closed their mobile service businesses.
It alleged that Reliance Jio will steeply raise call and data tariffs once the entire competition is wiped out. “It will loot the people by steeply raising the call and data charges. It is a matter of deep concern that, Reliance Jio is being openly patronised by the Narendra Modi government,” the statement said.
No immediate comments were received from the Prime Minister’s Office. AUAB said the public sector firm has been demanding allotment of 4G spectrum but “the government has turned a deaf ear to this demand, with the ulterior motive of preventing the public sector company from putting up an effective competition to Reliance Jio”.
All officers and workers of BSNL are going on an indefinite strike from December 3, 2018, the AUAB said. “Demands of the strike include the immediate allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL for rolling out its 4G service, implementation of the government rule in respect of payment of pension contribution by BSNL, wage revision of the employees and pension revision of the retirees, from January 1, 2017,” the statement said.
It also alleged that whosoever tried to act against Reliance Jio had to pay the price, including former telecom secretary J S Deepak. “JS Deepak wrote to the TRAI demanding action on Reliance Jio, for adopting predatory pricing. As a result, JS Deepak was instantaneously shunted out of the DoT… This was a clear signal given by the Narendra Modi government, as to what would happen to any one who dares to speak against Rliance Jio,” the unions alleged. Deepak was named India’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) when he was abroad to attend the Mobile World Congress 2017 in Spain.
The unions said that BSNL was in a loss of more than Rs 8,800 crore in 2011-12 but due to the combined efforts taken by the employees and the management, the PSU posted an operating profit of Rs 672.57 crore in 2014-15. “BSNL’s improved performance is reflected in the expansion of it’s customer base also. It must be remembered that all these achievements are made by BSNL without 4G technology and with only 2G and 3G technologies, while all the private companies are armed with 4G technology,” the statement said.
Apart from the allotment of 4G spectrum, the AUAB is also demanding the implementation of the government’s rule in the matter of BSNL’s payment of pension contribution. “It is atrocious that, the Narendra Modi government is violating it’s own rule, and is fleecing a huge amount from BSNL every year, in the name of Pension Contribution. This is seriously affecting the financial health of the Company,” the unions said.

Resolution adopted by the Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi to  abolish National Pension System (NPS) and reinstate the Old Pension System in the interest of lakhs of Government Servants

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT
NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI
Old Secretariat, Delhi – 110054

No.F.22(3)/Resolutions/2015/LAS-VI/Leg./

Dated: /11/2018

To
1. The Hon’ble Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Government of India
North Block, New Delhi – 110 001

2. The Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister,
Government of NCT of Delhi
I.P. Estate, New Delhi – 110002

Sub: Resolution adopted by the Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi to call the attention of Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister to abolish National Pension System (NPS) and reinstate the Old Pension System in the interest of lakhs of Government Servants’.

Sir,

The Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi unanimously adopted the following resolution moved by Shri Ajay Dutt, Hon’ble Member of Legislative Assembly in its sitting held on 26/11/2018:

“The Legislative Assembly in its sitting on 26 November 2018 resolves that:

Taking note of the negative consequences of the anti-employee National Pension System (NPS) that is imposed on the Government Servants by the then NDA Government in 2004 and sustained by the UPA-1, UPA-II and NDA-II Governments,

given that fact that, unlike the old pension scheme, the NPS;

does not give any guarantee to the employee either for assured returns on investments or for minimum pension,

does not provide for family pension or social security,

does not provide for loan facility when in dire need,

does not provide for annual increments and hike in DA,

does not allow the employees to withdraw enough money from their own pension fund to meet their medical emergencies,

leaves the employees at the mercy of volatile markets and the forces that have notoriously being manipulating the markets,

imposes draconian restrictions on withdrawals from pension fund,

allows the insurance companies to exploit employees by way of forcing them to buy annuity for minimum of ten years even after retirement, and

runs contrary to the spirit of welfare state as enshrined in the Constitution.

Given the fact that the pro-people and welfare oriented Government of NCT of Delhi is strongly in favour of restoring the rights and privileges of its employees by way of replacing the NPS with the time tested old pension scheme.

Resolves to urge upon the Government of India to scrap the NPS with immediate effect and bring at once all the Government Servants working under the Government of NCT of Delhi under the old pension scheme and restore to them all the benefits of the old pension scheme wherein the fair and legislative pensions benefits are disbursed through the Constitutional Fund of India, so that the dedicated work force of the Government of NCT of Delhi and their families will be able to lead their lives with sense of security and dignity, and further resolves to urge upon the Government of India to restore the old pension scheme in place of NPS or the benefit of all the Government Servants working under the Government of India and also to activity encourage other States to follow this true welfare measure.”

Yours sincerely,

(C.Velmurugan)
Secretary (L.A.)

No.F.22(3)/Resolutions/2015/LAS-VI/Leg./2982

The first Basihat Branch Conference under Kolkata District was held on 28-11-2018 at Basirhat Telephone Exchange.. Com.Pijush Chakraborty, Circle Secretary inaugurated the conference. Com.A.K.Nandan, District Secretary addressed.

Office bearers with Coms. S.K.Dey (President), S.K.Ghosh (Secretary) and K.K.Bose (Treasurer) were elected unanimously

.

National Coordination Committee of Pensioners Associations
Dear Comrades!

All are requested that some changes have been incorporated in the Memorandum to the Honourable Prime Minister of India and the corrected memorandum has been placed in the website now with the change of date of memorandum as 27.11.2018. Kindly download this memorandum for all purposes.

Secondly, the draft to be written in the Post Card also undergoes a small change of date and the revised sentences in the Post Card will be as follows: All other instructions remain unchanged – KKN Kutty SG NCCPA

Post Card Campaign to Hon’ble Prime Minister:

I solicit the kind attention of the Honourable Prime Minister to the memorandum dated 27.11.2018 submitted by the National Co-ordination Committee of pensioners in which I am a member  on certain pension related issue.  I seek the intervention of the Honourable Prime Minister to ensure settlement thereof. 

_____________________________________ (Signature)

________________________________________ (Name)

______________________ (Pensioner’s of Department)

___________________________________PPO Number

Coms.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, K.G.Jayaraj, General Secretary and K.Mohanan, ACS,Kerala & AGS, BSNLCCWF met Shri.Anupam Shrivastava on 27-11-2018 and invited him to the 3rd Triennial All India Conference being held at Kolkata on 23rd and 24th February, 2019. CMD responded that he will try to participate if found convenient at that time.

The representatives, then drew the attention of the CMD on the following issues.

1. Non-payment of medical allowance and medical bills.

CMD stated that as per the data collected from circles Rs.85 crore is required for the medical bills. Rs. 750 crore  has to be arranged for payment of salary to the staff for the month of November, 2018 and at present the actual cash available with BSNL is only Rs.500 crore. However, when we pointed out the misery and distress of the retirees, CMD stated that definitely their case will be considered with priority  when the financial position improves.

2 Non-payment of wages to the casual and contract workers.

CMD reiterated that acute financial position is the real reason and will be trying to release some amount in due course.

3. Extention of broadband concession to the DoT pensioners. The representatives pointed out that the issue is pending for a few years despite positive assurance and requested his early intervention.

The CMD agreed to look into the issue.

4. Exorbitant rent for the quarters allotted to the retirees. The representatives brought to the attention of the CMD that retirees are being levied rent at market rate and requested for early reconsideration so that the rate of rent be based on the basic pension instead of last salary.

CMD stated that he will look into the matter.

<<view letter>>