A meeting of the following BSNL-MTNL Pensioners Association was held online at 15.30hrs on 18-01-2023 to discuss about the issue of pension revision of BSNL-MTNL pensioners which is due from 01-01-2017.

1. All India BSNL DOT Pensioners Association
2. BSNL DOT Pensioners Association (India)
3. Sanchar Nigam Pensioners Welfare Association
4. All India Central Government Pensioners Association HQ Pune
5. MTNL Retired Executives Welfare Association

6  MTNL DOT Pensioners Welfare Association

7  MTNL Senior Executives Pensioners Association

8 MTNL Retired Executives Welfare Association, Mumbai

Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Advisor, AIBDPA presided.

Com.K.G.Jayaraj, General  Secretary, AIBDPA who issued the notice for the meeting explained in brief the present situation with regard to the pension revision of BSNL MTNL Pensioners and the need to have  united efforts by the pensioners associations to achieve pension revision with 15% fitment as per the recommendations of the III PRC, which is fully justified.

Comrades D.D.Mistri, GS, BDPA(I), G.L.Jogi, GS, SNPWA, R.F.Chaudhary, GS AICGPA HQ Pune, R.K.Mudgal, GS MREWA, Susheel Mudgal ( MDPA), Rajender Prasad, GS,  MSEPA, V.P.Prajapati, GS,MREWA, Mumbai and Thomas John, President, BDPA(I) spoke and expressed their opinion in the matter. All speakers were strongly of the opinion that we should peruse the demand of  Pension Revision with 15% fitment as recommended by the III PRC. It was pointed out that this is the logical demand with the precedence in 2007 and 2000. During the meeting with the Associations on 17^th October 2022 called by the Member (Services)DOT, the latter has clearly ruled out any pension revision on the basis of the VII CPC. The 0% offered by the DOT on the basis of 3^rd PRC is not acceptable. Since the demand of the Associations for the delinking of pension revision from pay revision has been accepted by the DOT and since the full pension contribution at the maximum of the pay scales has been paid to the government, there is absolutely no justification for the government to deny 15% fitment and revise pension accordingly.

Decisions:

1. We should strongly continue with our demand for Pension Revision with 15% fitment as per III PRC.
2. Formation of Joint Forum of BSNL MTNL Pensioners’ Associations with all the associations which are present in the meeting today. A Memorandum with our demands and justifications to be prepared for submission to the  Minister of Communications and Secretary, DoT.
3. Meeting Secretary DOT and Minister of Communications by the Joint Forum for early settlement of the pension revision.
4. In case the issue is not favourably settled by 20th February, 2023, Joint Forum will meet and chalk out Agitational programmes.

With vote of thanks by Com. K G Jayaraj the meeting came to an end at 17.30hrs.

The national executive of NCCPA was held from 3PM to 5PM on 15-01-2023 virtually in Zoom platform. Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra, President controlled the proceedings. The main agenda was filling up the posts of Secretary General and Working Prsedent due to the sad demises of Coms.K K N Kutty and S S Roy. The National Executive unanimously agreed to the proposal of Com. Shivgopal Mishra to nominate Coms. K Ragavendran , presently Deputy Secretary General as Secretary General and Com.S K Sharma (Jaipur) now Vice President to Working President.

Representing AIBDPA, Coms. V A N Namboodiri, S Mohandoss and S S Maurya participated. Com.K G Jayaraj could not participate as he happened to be in a journey. Com.V A N Namboodiri in his address explained the present situation about the pension revision of BSNL pensioners, Rejection of Parliamentary Standing Committee recommendations, solidarity action to be organised on the programmes of NJCA and Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers and All India State Government Employees and Teachers Federation against NPS and restoration of OPS.

The National Executive after elaborate discussion took the following decisions. (1) Total support and solidarity to all the programmes of National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) against NPS. (2) To convene the National Executive to decisde on further course of action on important issues.

The biennial district conference of Kalyan was held on 04-01-2023. Com.Kashid, District President was in the chair. Inaugurating the conference, Com. R N Patil , Circle Secretary gave a good account of the recent developments in respect of pension revision, medical issues, CGHS , denial of retirement benefits to VRS retirees etc. The decisions of the historic Mysure All India Conference were also explained. Com.Santosh A Soni, CHQ Organising Secretary and District Secretary presented the report and the accounts by the Treasurer. Both the report and accounts were adopted after discussion. There was a significant participation of more than 150 pensioners. Election of office bearers were held unanimously and the following are the important functionaries; President : Com. D V Wargude , District Secretary : Com. Santosh A Soni , Treasurer : Com. Prakash Tumkar.

Com.A Dhupal , CHQ Vice President who has shouldered the entire responsibility of organising and strengthening AIBDPA in Odisha due to the illness of the Circle Secretary and demise of the Treasurer, has succeeded in forming the Bhubaneswar District Branch. The meeting of the BSNL and DoT pensioners of Bhubneswar was held on 03-01-2023. Com.Debadutta Das, Circle Vice President controlled the proceedings. Com. A Dhupal in his eleborate inaugural address explained the main issues of the pensioners including pension revision, the functioning of AIBDPA, medical issues, CGHS problems ,the struggles being conducted and the recent hisytoric Mysuru Conference. Office bearers were elected unanimously with Com. Kailas Ch Pati (President) Com. Chittaranjan Behura (District Secretary ) Com. Chittaranjan Das ( Treasurer).

22 Dec 2022

Dear colleague’s,

The year that is coming to its end has been another year of important struggles in the long history of the WFTU. The 18th World Trade Union Congress that took place in Rome, Italy on 6-8 May 2022 under the slogan “United we continue for the satisfaction of our contemporary needs – Against Imperialist-Capitalist barbarity”, undoubtedly constitutes a great milestone for the international class-oriented trade union movement.  This historic 18^th congress has reiterated the anti-imperialist and anti-fascist character of the WFTU and its commitment to the struggle for the liberation of the working class from the capitalist shackles.

The year 2022 marked by the sharpening of imperialists’ competition to control global resources and markets.  The Russia invasion and the war in Ukraine undermines the inalienable right of the peoples to live in peace, triggering at the same time serious repercussions and affecting the working-class living conditions globally.

The USA, the EU and NATO, attempt to present the situation as a war between liberalism and authoritarianism, hopping that this way, their own criminal role can be hushed up.  But this dirty role is clearly visible in so many imperialist wars and interventions: Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yugoslavia, Cyprus, and so many other places as well as in the embargos in Cuba and Venezuela and so many sanctions and economic wars. Peace is not being protected by even more militarism or patronage of all kinds of far-right nationalists and fascists. Peace cannot be based on blockades, sanctions, and economic wars.

The WFTU fights for permanent and stable peace, for the dissolution of NATO and all military coalitions and for the abolition of nuclear weapons.

As the imperialist wars continue, workers all over the globe, exhausted after the Covid-19 pandemic, are facing once again the consequences of a new capitalist crisis. The uncontrollable increase of the prices; especially the prices rise of the necessary goods for daily life, as well the “energy poverty”, is another way to cut salaries and to protect and increase profits. In this way, not only the bill of the pandemic and the economic crisis but also the war of NATO with Russia in Ukraine, they want to be paid by the working class, the pensioners, the farmers, and the poorer part of the self-employed people.

The working class all over the world with its relentless struggles refuses to pay for the capitalist crisis and the imperialist wars.  The WFTU affiliates are at the forefront of these struggles demanding the satisfaction of the contemporary needs of the workers at all levels: salary, employment, social security, culture.

During the last months, it was the struggles and mobilizations of trade unions that stood in the way of anti-people policies that wanted workers voiceless, and submissive.  On uncounted occasions, thousands of workers took to the streets giving strength and optimism to all to break that climate of fear, intimidation, and repression. Fighting for free and inclusive healthcare for all, respect and implementation of the democratic and trade union freedoms, an immediate increase of wages and pensions, protection of workers’ purchasing power and living standards, and for the satisfaction of the popular strata interests.

The arrest of the recently elected Secretary General of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC),  Luca Visentini, for scandal linked with the cover-up of terrible crimes committed against thousands of workers,  brings to the surface one more time the necessity to intensify the struggles  to protect the autonomy and the class orientation of the Trade Unions, away from bureaucracy, corruption, and manipulation by the capital and employers. The incorporation to the neoliberal, anti-labour policies, the absence of a substantial reaction, clearly coexists with the corruption.

The World Federation of Trade Unions and its hundred affiliates from 133 countries of the 5 continents, representing more than 105 million workers, will remain the pioneers of the working-class, at the forefront of struggles, armed with the decisions of its 18th World Trade Union Congress and with its militant history as a beacon.

It will intensify the coordination and struggle for:

– The continuation of massification and the upward course recorded by the class-oriented trade union movement in recent years.

– The coordination of the action and struggles of the organized class-oriented Trade Union movement throughout the world and supplying it with the necessary information and tools that will make the struggles even more prepared and effective.

– The further development of internationalist solidarity, cooperation and joint coordinated action of the peoples and the workers with the class unions in each country as a front.

– The deepening of the intervention in the International Organizations in which the WFTU participates with the aim of more effectively projecting the demands and interests of the working class.

– In the struggle against discrimination of all forms and the highlighting of the particular issues concerning working women and young workers.

– In the preparation of the health and safety of workers and the working environment, as well as sustainable human development with climate change at the forefront.

As we get ready to welcome the year 2023, we are confident that the international class-oriented trade union movement is ready and well-prepared to pave the way for future struggles, for the defense of workers’ interests and the satisfaction of their contemporary needs. For a world without imperialistic wars and interventions, without any kind of discrimination and man-by-man exploitation.

Happy and militant New Year,

United We Continue.

The Secretariat