The VII Membership Verification is to take place tomorrow, 10th May 2016. Each vote is important and is part of the democratic process for electing the Recognised Union/s. There are 19 unions in the contest, but they are mainly in three / four alliances. Most of the employees might have already decided about their choice of union. But still, there are a few workers, who may have not taken their final decision.

In this verification we have been asking the workers to vote for BSNL Employees Union in Ballot No.9, Cell Phone Symbol. Why vote for BSNLEU?

1. BSNLEU is the union which during the last 15 years since formation of BSNL had campaigned for strengthening BSNL, the telecom PSU, united all the unions under JAC/JF/Forum and took initiative for the mighty struggles against the wrong policies of the government and ensured that BSNL survives and flourishes.
2. BSNLEU is the architect of the two excellent wage revisions, in 2000 and 2007 respectively, which benefited the employees immensely and got reasonable wages.
3. BSNLEU never compromised on the demands of the workers, but fought and got the justified demands in many issues.
4. BSNLEU is the only recognised union in the PSUs, which demanded for the recognition of a second union and proportionate representation. NFTE got recognition only on the demand of BSNLEU.
5. BSNLEU got implemented many new demands like NEPP, Group Insurance, Gift of HMT Watch, Bank Loans, regular conduct of examinations, reservation for SC/ST employees, Change of designations etc. etc. which the earlier recognised federations could not think of even demanding.

What are the main issues to be settled after verification?

1. Wage Revision from 2017. Wage Revision after every 5 years instead of existing 10 years. This was demanded in the last wage negotiation. But since 10 year wage revision was already implemented for executives, the management did not agree. This time it should be ensured.
2. Five Promotions. Each Promotion after every five years. This will mainly benefit the new recruitees having about thirty years of service before them.
3. Five Days Week. This demand was raised at the time of the First Wage Negotiation, but was kept pending. Corporate office is functioning 5 days, Central Govt. employees are having 5 days week, MNCs are having  5 days week, some of the state government employees as in Rajasthan are having five days week, most of the private companies in metro cities work for five days. It is time  that this issue is raised once again which will give some relief to all, especially the women workers. Half an hour working can be increased on working days and rotation duties brought for Customer Service and other important operational functions, thus without affecting the service to the customers.
4. Immediate action to be taken to remove stagnation of low paid employees, RM, TM etc.  by implementation of increment every year either through stagnation increment or open end pay scale etc.
5. Payment of Minimum Bonus of Rs. 7,500. 
6. 78.2% IDA Fixation for pre-June 2013 pensioners
7. Restoration of LTC, Medical Allowance etc.
8. Minimum Wage Rs. 18,000 for contract workers as demanded by 11 Central Trade Unions
9. Reducing the service condition to Five Years to appear in examinations. This demand taken by BSNLEU is already implemented in the case of JTO examination. This should be extended to all the other examinations.
10. Recruitment should be made in all cadres to ensure that young and talented workers for the more than 1,50,000 vacancies due to retirement during the last 15 years since formation of BSNL. This can be done by regularising the casual/contract workers, compassionate appointment by removing the 5% restriction etc and also by direct recruitment.
11. Defined Pension for the BSNL Appointees. At present, the new recruitees of BSNL are deprived of defined pension as in the case of BSNL absorbed DOT employees. This is gross discrimination and injustice. This should be changed by granting defined pension to new recruitees.   In the meantime,30% supernumerary benefits should be implemented for them.
12. The Government should support BSNL as per its assurance at the time of formation of the PSU. It should immediately refund to BSNL the Income Tax refund of Rs. 8,000-10,000 crore, refund the Spectrum charges coming to about Rs. 6,000 crore and pay the Rs.1,250 crores granted by the USO Fund for compensating the loss making connections provided in the rural areas.
13. Ensure reservations in recruitment, promotion and in all respects to the SC/ST employees as provided in the Constitution.
14. Increase the Group Insurance benefits from the present Rs. 1 lakh, Rs. 3 lakhs and Rs.5 lakhs to at least to Rs. 3 lakhs, Rs. 5lakhs and Rs. t lakhs if not more.

These are only some of the most important demands. Many other issues concerning the BSNL employees will be taken.

VOTE FOR BSNLEU FOR THE BEST FUTURE OF BSNL AND ITS EMPLOYEES!

UNITY FOR STRUGGLE, STRUGGLE FOR UNITY AND UNITY AND STRUGGLE FOR PROGRESS!

The proposal of the central government to scrap Pensions Act will deprive the right of the pensioners in ensuring their pension from attachment or seizure. The move of the Modi Government to scrap this 145 year old act is just like its move to  amend or change many old acts. Some of the departments, it is reported, are against scraping since it will take away the right of pensioners.

We demand that the government retract from its bad move to scrap the Pensions Act.

The Greek workers under the leadership of the mighty trade union PAME organised 48 hours strike from 6th May 2016 against the move of the government to cut/reduce wages, pension etc. According to The government, it is resorting to these anti-worker, anti-pensioner steps to reduce its financial deficit. Mighty protests are continuing for the last few months including several strikes. We extend solidarity and support to the fully justified strike.

It is good news! Air India which was in loss for the last few years has posted operational profit of Rs.8 crore in 2015-16. It had a loss of Rs.2,686 crore in 2014-15. While the management and employees are mainly responsible for this turnover, the 12% growth in the sector also helped. The daily occupied seats in flights increased from 66,758 to 74,499 during the year.