AIBDPA CHQ / CIRCULAR No.3/2022, 
26th May,2022

To
All CHQ office bearers, Circle Secretaries, District Secretaries and Affiliates.

Dear Comrade,

As you are aware, the Central Executive Committee meeting held virtually on 05-03-2022 had decided for another phased program of agitation on the following important issues;
1. Pension Revision from 01-01-2017 with 15% fitment, delinking wage revision.
2. Immediate payment of medical allowance pending from 01-04-2018 and medical reimbursement bills pending from 01-04-2019.
3. Effective functioning of CGHS implementing Parliamentary Standing Committee Recommendations.
4. Payment of arrears of freezed IDA instalments.
5. Immediate payment of pension and other retirement benefits to the VRS retirees of Maharashtra withheld illegally for non-revalidation of caste certificate.
6. Restoration of the LPD, reduced by the CCAs in violation of statutory Rules and procedures.

CHQ was authorised by the CEC to formulate the form of agitation at the appropriate time.

Serious discussion was held with Secretary, DoT, Joint Secretary and DDG ( Esst) by Coms.V A N Namboodiri Advisor and K G Jayaraj General Secretary on pension revision. Though, the officers informed that the issue is being examined, what we could learn is that DoT is yet to arrive at a concrete proposal. The latest information is that Internal Finance at DoT is scrutinizing the various proposals sent by the Establishment section. Also the government has to take a positive decision on the issue. So pressure in the form of another agitation is necessary to settle the issue.

Regarding payment of medical benefits to the BSNL Pensioners, the CMD during the detailed discussion with our delegation on 27-04-2022, reiterated his stand that BSNL cannot afford the huge expenditure on BSNL MRS to the pensioners and wanted all the retirees to switch over to CGHS. The drawbacks and inadequate facilities of CGHS were well explained to him. Still, the CMD was not for any fund allotment in the near future to clear the pending medical claims.

Conceding the genuine demands of the Pensioners Organisations, the 110th Parliamentary Standing Committee has given positive recommendations to start CGHS Wellness Centers at every district, full reimbursement of medical bills for treatment in the non- empanelled hospitals, increase the Fixed Monthly Medical Allowance to Rs.3000, Pensioners also to be included in CS(MA) rules etc. Further the functioning of the existing Wellness Centers are to be made effective by posting sufficient number of doctors and para medical staff. There has to be periodical revision of CGHS rates and ensure prompt payment to the empanelled hospitals. Immediate intervention of higher authorities are warranted to start the new Wellness Centres already granted in various states.

DPE and the then Hon’ble Minister for Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises had clarified that DPE OM dated 19-11-2020 freezing the IDA from 01-10-2020 to 30-06-2021 to Executives and Non- Unionised Supervisors is not applicable to the BSNL Pensioners. Still, the DoT was not prepared for releasing the IDA instalments to the BSNL retirees. It was under this situation, CHQ was compelled to file a writ petition in the High Court of Kerala on 26-02-2021 and the Hon’ble High Court was pleased to issue a favourable Interim Order. Despite forwarding the court order and repeated reminders, DoT is not implenting even the Court Order.

CHQ has taken a consistent stand on the issue of denial of pension and other retirement benefits to the VRS retirees of Maharashtra belonging to ST category from the very beginning. With our continuous efforts and pursance, DOP&PW issued an OM dated 30-11-2021. The OM specifically stated that no retirement benefits should be withheld in cases wherin no judicial or departmental proceedings are pending. Still, the arrogant BSNL management didn’t care to implement the OM against which CHQ wrote to the Hon’ble Minister of Communications and Hon’ble Minister of State for Personnel Public Grievances and Pensions. Thereafter, DoT intervened and asked the BSNL management to implement the OM and ensure payment of pension and other retirement benefits to the VRS retirees. Finally, BSNL reluctantly endorsed the DOT endorsement of the DOP&,PW OM on 25-04-2022 which was followed by CGMT, Maharashtra on 07-05-2022. However, the fact remains that the affected pensioners are yet to get the payment.

There are specific instructions that the AOs scrutinizing the pension papers of the reiring officials to limit it for 24 months prior to the retirement. But some of the AOs in certain CCA Offices have dug out pay fixation given 25- 30 years ago and made arbitrary cut in the last pay drawn resulting in reduction of Pension. Though the issue was taken up with the DoT repeatedly, nothing has been done.

In these circumstances, CHQ has decided to launch the following Agitational Programme.

1. Demands Day on 22-06-2022.
Demonstration at all levels with placards.

2. Dharna at SSA/ BA Level on 20-07-2022.

3. Sanchar Bhawan March on 24 – 08 – 2022. The number of participants for each Circle will be finalized in due course.

AUAB AGITATION :-

AUAB has given call for agitational program including Sanchar Bhawan March demanding Wage Revision. CHQ has already extended Solidarity and our Comrades may participate according to local situation.

TELE PENSIONER :-

Tele Pensioner, October 2021 – March,2022 issue has been got printed and are being despatched to all the subscribers, CHQ office bearers, Circle Secretaries and District Secretaries.

Circle Conferences :- .

Gujarat, Kolkata Telephones,Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Kerala, Karnataka, UP ( W) and Haryana circles have held the Circle Conferences. Other circles are also requested to hold the conferences in consultation with CHQ.

Membership List :-

CHQ had asked to send the membership list of each district so as to update the CHQ level membership register. But some of the District Branches are yet to comply with the directive. So it is once again requested to send the membership list, preferably prepared in Words, at the earliest.

Dear Comrades,
The covid19 pandemic situation has improved and normalcy is being restored. So we have to utilise the opportunity to revitalize the organisation and also strengthen it by enrolling more Pensioners. Sufficient preparations have to be made to make the Agitational Programme a grand success.

With warm greetings,

K G Jayaraj
General Secretary.)

The biennial District Conference of Nagaon, Assam was held on 22-05-2022. Com. R K Laskar, District President presided over the meeting. Com. M R Das, AGS inaugurated the conference with a spirited speech covering the issues of the pensioners and the struggles being launched by AIBDPA. Delivering the keynote address, Com. S N Sarma , Circle Secretary emphasized the importance of strengthening the organisation. Coms. L Handique, District Secretary and B K Dey, Treasurer placed the report and audited accounts, respectively and were adopted after active discussion. A host of leaders, including Com. H S Raja, ACS addressed the conference. A new team of office bearers were elected with Com. R K Laskar (President) Com. H S Raja (District Secretary) and Com.B K Dey (Treasurer).

Bengaluru Telecom District Branch, one of the biggest branches in the country has held its 5th biennial conference enthusiastically on 21-05-2022 at PGM office auditorium. Com.B T M Giri, District President was in chair. Com. V A N Namboodiri, Advisor inaugurated the conference with an inspiring speech covering the important issues of the pensioners and the present situation in BSNL. Com. K G Jayaraj, General Secretary delivered the keynote address and explained the continuous efforts and struggles of CHQ for the settlement of the burning issues like pension revision and denial of medical benefits. Smt. Madhavi Das, Controller of Communication Accounts participated and stated that issues of the pensioners are being dealt speedly and as a result the CCA office has zero complaints. Representing BSNL, Shri. Prakash Gopalani, PGM and Shri. B Venkiteswarlu , GM(CFA) greeted the confernce. Com. H C Prakash, AGS and District Secretary welcomed one and all. Coms. C K Gundanna, AGS,BSNLEU, H V Sudharshan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Irfan Pasha, CHQ Treasurer,BSNLEU, Muddaiah, Circle Secretary, R B Tatapati, Circle President, C P Vijayakumar, District Secretary, BSNLEU and G G Patil, veteran leader and former AGS also addressed the conference.

Com. H C Prakash, District Secretary and Com.Girish Chander, Treasurer presented the biennial report and audited accounts, respectively and were adopted. Office bearers were elected unanimously with Com. B T M Giri (President) Com.H C Prakash (District Secretary) and Com.Jagannathan (Treasurer).

AUAB has chalked out a phased programme of Agitation, culminating in the Sanchar Bhawan March, demanding Wage Revision. Keeping up its tradition, AIBDPA extends Solidarity to the agitational programme.

Agitational programmes demanding settlement of 3rd Wage Revision for the Non-Executives and 3rd Pay Revision for the Executives..

The AUAB has decided to organise the following agitational programmes, demanding settlement of the most important demand of the BSNL employees, viz., 3^rd Wage Revision for the Non-Executives and 3^rd Pay Revision for the Executives. All the circle and district secretaries are requested to coordinate with the other constituents of the AUAB and to organise these programmes successfully.

1. Lunch hour demonstrations on 27.05.2022.
2. Twitter campaign on 14.06.2022.
3. Submitting memorandums to the MPs and Ministers from 01.06.2022 to 30.06.2022.
4. March to Sanchar Bhawan, for which the date will be announced by the AUAB shortly.

Dear colleagues, brothers and sisters, thanks for the election

I am aware of the responsibility I take on. WFTU carries a long and glorious history of struggle and in the current conditions it has a very important role to play in coordinating and guiding the class-oriented labor movement throughout the world.

I feel this responsibility even greater having in mind that I replace George Mavrikos, a comrade who has sealed with his 17-year presence at the helm of WFTU, a course of great organizational development and substantial expansion of its prestige and influence. A comrade with morals and political weight who with his personal example managed to inspire again the respect in the leadership and the procedures of our Federation, after a difficult period of regressions and uncertainty.

When we agreed that WFTU should continue to exist and that after Havana a new beginning should be made with new leadership and modern, democratic and transparent processes, I know very well how heavy the burden was lifted by the leadership and the Secretary General of the WFTU and how big progress and improvement has been made.

Obviously I undertake in better conditions. The operation of our Federation today is not characterized neither by bureaucracy, neither by inaction and nor by fatalism. Today it is an active organization, operating in a spirit of collectivity and democratic participation, having positions and proposals and having active members whose presence and role in all continents and in all sectors is essential and very distinct. Nevertheless, in order to fulfill my role, I will definitely need everyone’s support and cooperation. And I’m sure I will have it. Especially of comrade George Mavrikos, whom of course we do not demobilize but we will certainly use him in every possible way. The same goes for other comrades with a great offer who after this congress will be included in the honored category of WFTU veterans. Our 18th Congress has highlighted with clarity the fields in which the Global Class Trade Union Movement is called to give its battles and to realize its goals. It has set priorities for more productive and effective intervention, a stronger and more united front in workers’ struggles. We have no illusions. The battles that await us will be hard and difficult. In the war between labor and capital imposed on us by the barbaric, exploitative nature of the capitalist system, the balance of power at the moment is not such as to ensure us everywhere and always victorious results. There is no doubt that this balance of power at the global level would be very different, if an important part of the Trade Union movement were not under the dependence and political and ideological influence of the dominant circles of capitalism. If this part would set its priorities in line with the class interests of the workers and not the interest anyone else. In such a case, the ability of workers to resist attacks and impose policies that respect their achievements and rights would certainly be much greater. The situation regarding living and working conditions would also be very different. The class consistency certainly does not characterize the whole Trade Union movement, but it does characterize the forces that unite in the WFTU. That is why the mechanisms of the system have tried and are still trying with blackmail and exclusion, to erase if possible the class pole in the world trade union movement. They tried to proclaim the universal alignment of the Trade Union movement with the logic of integration and assimilation into the imperialist new world order. But they did not manage to dissolve us, nor to silence us, nor to assimilate us. We are here armed with the decisions of our Congress, full of determination to change the balances, to resist fatalism and capitulation, to defend the rights of workers, to defend collective bargaining and collective agreement, to oppose the privatization and destruction of the welfare state. We are here:

United with collective decisions, with thesis and priorities that unite us, we develop actions, we strengthen solidarity, we lead struggles, we intervene where the decisions concerning the workers are made. Organized with a presence in all corners of the earth, with Trade Unions representing over 110 million Members; Structured with collective leadership and guidance, with regional offices on all continents, with TUI’S covering almost all areas of economic activity. And most important we are here to inspire workers with the vision of a world without imperialist interventions and wars, without human-to-human exploitation.

The 3rd District Conference of Jabalpur was held with good participation on 05-05-2022. Coms. Jagdish Singh, CHQ Organising Secretary, H S Thakur, Circle Secretary, Com. Raghuvanshi, Circle President, BSNLEU, Vishnu Chaudhary, District Secretary, CCLU, Chitra Bhattia, ( BSNL Joint Womens Committee) and a host of leaders addressed the conference and explained various issues of the pensioners, employees and casual contract workers. The report and accounts presented by Com. S N S Chauhan, District Secretary and Com. Raju Sharma, Treasurer were approved after discussion. Office bearers were elected unanimously with Com. Jagdish Singh (President) Com. Shiv Kumar Yadav (District Secretary) and Com. Raju Sharma (Treasurer).

Telecom Factory, Mumbai has held its first biennial conference after merger with the Maharashtra Circle branch. Com. D D Gurav presided over the meeting held at the Telecom factory premises on 27-04-2022. Com. S D Chaudhari, former Circle Secretary, BSNLEU inaugurated the conference and explained the issues of the pensioners and the present situation in BSNL. Coms. Baviskar, District Secretary, WTR, Mumbai and Londe, Area Secretary, Mumbai represented the Circle and addressed. Com. R N Patil, Circle Secretary guided the conference through video conferencing. Com. R S Waiganakar, District Secretary presented the report and accounts and were adopted after discussion. A new set of office bearers were elected unanimously with Com. L V Gaikwad (President) Com. Suresh Naik (District Secretary) and Com. M M Mahadik (Treasurer).

BSNL pensiopners are suffering a lot due to non-payment of medical allowance and reimbursement of medical bills for years together. AIBDPA has conducted several agitations by itself and jointly with NCCPA, Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers and Coordination Committee of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF. CHQ continuously pursued with the BSNL management and recently Rs.60 cr was allotted by Corporate Office to the circles. However, CGM office West Bengal failed to make payment to any pensioner and when asked by the AIBDPA Circle Secretary, they even refused to divulge any information on the fund allocation to the Circle and the details of its distribution. So the Circle Branch rightly called for Protest Dharna at District level on 05-05-2022 and was carried out with good participation.

Visakhapatnam biennial District Conference has been held jointly with BSNLEU & BSNL CCWF on 08-05-2022 at BSNL Bhavan, Dabagardens, Visakhapatnam. A presidium consisting of Coms. P Latchiraju and K Rama Devi controlled the proceedings. The joint session was inaugurated by Com.K Chandrasekhara Rao, General Secretary, All Central Government Pensioners Association. Coms. Kumar (CITU), K S C Bose, Circle Secretary, AIBDPA, K Rama Devi, CHQ Vice President & Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, K Prabhakar Rao, General Secretary, BSNLCCWF and a host of leaders addressed. All the leaders explained the issues of employees, pensioners and casual contract workers and the struggles being launched .

In the subject session, Com. K Ramanjaneyulu, District Secretary presented the report and accounts which were adopted after discussion. Thereafter office bearers were elected unanimously with Com. R Govindaraju (President) Com. K Ramanjaneyulu (District Secretary) and Com.R Satyanarayana (Treasurer)