தேசிய முரசு

NATIONAL UNION OF BSNL WORKERS (FNTO)

Tamilnadu Circle.

Rejoinder

to the 15 page boasting of 

Wage settlement by the BSNLEU.

Our Parawise comments.

1. Circumstances

The representative union knows very well that year after year the revenue of BSNL is going down and the expenditure is increasing. What action it has taken to increase the revenue and to reduce the expenditure of the company? Why wage negotiation was not started well in advance when the company was in profit. Com. Namboodiri has in a circular clearly told that as per the decision of CPSTU they are waiting for the executives to complete their wage settlement, so that non-executive can get more benefits than executives. The executives got their wage demands settled when the company was in profit. We are disappointed.

The revenue of the BSNL is decreasing due to tariff war between the private operators and stiff competition. Oil companies are getting subsidy from the Govt. for their subsidised sale of Kerosene, LPG., etc. as the cost price of the above products are more and the general public can not afford to bear with it. Similarly what the representative union has done to get subsidy like assistance from the Govt. to face the loss due to tariff reduction in BSNL Services?

The sense of urgency that arose among the BSNL workers for early agreement on wages was not arisen to the Representative union as they are committed to the decision of CPSTU rather than the interest of BSNL workers. They would not have signed the agreement if the BWA has not acted to expedite the settlement. In this process, the Representative union has nose dived in their demands and accepted what is proposed and given by the Management. The BSNLEU only adopted the negative attitude and not the management. If the management is not positive towards workers demands why the BSNLEU could not break the talks and seek the cooperation of other BSNL unions for united approach to the just and reasonable demands of BSNL workers. They are boasting themselves as, Excellent Agreement which in fact is a very bad agreement, when compared to the first wage settlement of BSNL and the wage settlement of other PSUs like BHEL, SAIL, Port & dock workers. BSNLEU and their allies should hang their head in shame for the agreement signed by them accepting the offerings of the Management in toto.

The following are the chronological order of wage revision process.

1) 31.12.2006 - earlier wage settlement expired.

2) 09.11.2006 - Decision of the Govt. was conveyed by the DPE to start negotiations for revision of wage from 01.01.2007.

3) 19.12.2006 - wage revision committee was formed.

4) 24.07.2008 -BSNLEU submitted the charter of demands – As per their agreement, the date is 03.09.2008.

From the above it can be seen that the Govt. has issued orders well in advance to start wage negotiation. BSNL also formed wage revision committee within a month on 19.12.2006. But the BSNLEU has taken nearly 22 months to submit the charter of demands. Further they took 16 months to finalise the wage settlement. Out of these 16 months they have wasted nearly 10 months demanding 5 year wage settlement. Thus one can see who is responsible for the delay in settlement of wage revision from 01.01.2007.

Com. Ashokbabu, (AGS / BSNLEU) boasting himself that after two days strike in August 2009 negotiated skillfully with the management and achieved an excellent agreement. What is the excellency they have achieved? They have accepted what is offered by the management without any improvement . Even the minimum pay of Rs.8000/- stated to have been accepted by the management has not been materialised.

At one stage he says, that because of Telecom services offered by many private business, the strike in BSNL is not effective. On the other side he says that because of the two days strike they achieved an excellent agreement. Why this contradiction and confusion?

2. Date of Effect

Date of effect of the new Pay scales is 01.01.2007. It is not the achievement of BSNLEU. In PSUs wage settlements are made for a specific period and accordingly the first wage agreement expired on 31.12.2006 and naturally this agreement should take effect from 01.01.2007 irrespective of the date of signing the agreement. Therefore it can not be boasted as an achievement of BSNLEU.

3. New Scales

Various expert bodies like central pay commissions and pay review committees of PSUs have recommended guidelines for devising the pay scales of employees by fixing the ratio between the low paid Gr. D to the higher paid chief secretary / CMD. The ratio fixed by various CPCs are given below:

I CPC - 1 :41.2

2nd CPC - 1:28.5

3rd CPC - 1:11.9

4th CPC - 1:10.7

5th CPC - 1:10.7

6th CPC - 1:12

For PSU employees, the first pay review committee has recommended the ratio of 1:10. The 2nd PRC also recommended the same ratio. But the BSNLEU has accepted a novel method of multiplication factor for revising the pay scale of Gr. D & others with reference to the revision of pay scales of JTOs. This is a pathetic condition. Thus they have created a very bad precedence also.

In the first wage settlement in BSNL, the minimum pay of a Gr. D was fixed as Rs.4000/- corresponding to the CDA minimum of Rs.2550/-. Now the minimum pay of CDA is enhanced to Rs.7000/-. Correspondingly the IDA minimum in BSNL should be at Rs.10980/-.

If we take the minimum pay of Rs.4400/- granted to MTNL for the corresponding CDA minimum of Rs.2550/- the IDA minimum from 01.01.2007 should be Rs.12080/-.

CDA pay scales have been revised from 01.01.2006 where as IDA pay scales are revised form 01.01.2007. Meanwhile the pay of CDA is enhanced to 6% as on 01.01.2007 raising the total amount Rs.7420/- for a Gr.D in Central Govt. If we take this increase into account the minimum of the IDA pay scales should be @ Rs.11650/- for BSNL and Rs.12800/- for MTNL pay scales.

Therefore there is full jusification to claim Rs.12500/- as minimum. In fact the united Forum has demanded a minimum pay Rs.14000/- in their memorandum but satisfied with a meager amount of Rs.7760/-. This is a clear proof to show how these unions are cheating the workers by raising tall demands to attract the workers to their unions.

4.NE – 12 Scale and Promotion Agreement

The agreement on promotion was signed hurriedly on 30.10.2008, in view of the election, surrendering the interest of the BSNL workers in toto. It is not ( Particularly Rs.9200 scale) available to senior officials as they would have all retired from service before 31.03.2008, as this scheme is applicable only to those officials who were in the rolls of BSNL as on 31.03.2008. Earlier the cut off date was 01.01.2007. The BSNLEU has surrendered 15 months arrears to all employees as well as entitlement of promotion of senior employees.

Com. Namboodiri, has not tried sincerely after the election to get the agreement implemented. Neither tried to get the DOT’s approval for 9200 scale. Without 9200 scale nobody will get 9850 scale. Thus the promotion scheme will not be useful to Group C employees. It is reported that the DOT has rejected the proposal of 9200 scale. Why Com. Namboodiri is silent over this fact? will he say what is the fact?

5. Fixation of Pay in the New Scales.

Though the fitment benefit as per the agreement is 30% actual benefit will only be 23.2% as 68.8% IDA only is taken into account for fixation of new pay instead of 78.2%. BSNLEU has agreed to get the benefit of 78.2% after it is given to the Executives. Thus Com. Namboodiri is very much gracious to surrender the rights of BSNL Non-executives in favor of Executives, when all unions in other industries have entered into agreement with their management for the fitment benefit on 78.2% IDA. Even the Central Govt. was good enough to extend the benefit of additional DA on Dearness pay to fix their pay in the new scale by modifying the fixation factor from 1.74 to 1.86. This is extended to the pensioners also. Thus the argument of Com. Namboodiri that the Non Executives will get more benefits if we enter into negotiation after wage settlement of executives have become false and baseless.

6. Fitment Benefit it realy 30% or 23.2%?

The second PRC has recommended a fitment benefit of 30 to 42% for A+ category PSUs under which BSNL comes and the Government has decided to give 30% on Pay+DA. But while calculating the fitment benefit, 68.8% IDA only has been taken into account while we are getting 78.2%IDA as total IDA due to merger of 50% IDA as Dearness Pay from 1.1.2007. Thus the net benefit works out to 23.2% even though the fitment benefit is 30%. In other PSUs the 30% fitment is given on 78.2% IDA, By accepting the same 68.8% at par with executives, the non-executives also gets an increase of 23.2% only and not 30%.

For Central Government Employees, the fitment benefit is given at 40% of the maximum of the existing scale ( as Grade pay) and it works out to 32.3% to 45.2%. ( Average 35.5 %). when the DA also is taken into account. Thus they are given better fitment weightage than the BSNL Employees.

Further the orders for revised scales for executives were issued on 26.11.2008 by the DPE and not in March 2009 as claimed by Sri Ashok Babu, AGS, BSNLEU. As a result of this settlement, the actual increase is ranging from Rs.1652/- for a Group D in NE 1 scale and Rs.5360/- for a Grade IV official in NE 11 scale. If 78.2% IDA is taken into account for fitment benefit it will be Rs.2192/- and Rs.6940/- respectively, It is pathetic that the BSNLEU is taking lot of pains to justify their recommendations/ settlement.

7. 78.2% will N/Es get it?

(a) As admitted by Com. Ashok Babu, all unions of other PSUs are entering into agreement for fixation of pay taking into account 78.2% IDA and not 68.8% IDA. We would like to know, if the executives do not press for 78.2% benefit, whether BSNLEU will also not press for it. We presume that Com.Namboodiri will not press for this, as it will expose their tall claim of extension of span of some pay scales.

(b) Even though the DPE issued orders on 78.2% IDA on 2.4.2009, the BSNLEU has accepted only 68.8% IDA for the fitment benefit. Grant of 78.2% IDA for fitment benefit is not subject to any condition regarding financial status of the PSU. Infact, the additional cost on salary revision as on 1.1.2007 works out to Rs.909 crores only with roughly Rs.400/- crores as pension contribution where as the funds allocated for N/Es towards Wage revision is reported to be around Rs.3500 crores during the years 2008.

Thus the BSNLEU is justifying its agreement to hide their failure.

8. Pay fixation for New appointments

No comments

9. Option to come over to new scale

This option is already available in all Pay revision exercises in Government and PSUs.

10.For those retired before 1.1.2007.

BSNL is the only PSU getting Govt.Pension as a special case and it is paid on IDA pay only as per the agreement reached with the three federations on 2.1.2001. The BSNLEU and other unions have failed to submit a memorandum before the 6th CPC to make its recommendations for revision of pension of Pre 2006 pensioners applicable to BSNL retired DOT officials. We have continuosly pursued this issue with DOT and a cabinet note is under preparation for submission to Cabinet to get approval not only for the revision from 1.1.2006 but for future revisions also. For those retired from 1.1.2006 to 31.12.2006 also the emoluments for the purpose of pension should be defined as basic pay plus 58.1% IDA admissible as on 1.1.2006. This will be done by the DOT at the time of issue of orders for revision of pension for pre 2006 pensioners. In the case of anomalies in respect of pensioners retired upto 31.7.2001, already precedence available in the CCS(Pension) rules as to how to settle the anomaly. This should have been pursued by the Unions, particularly the representative union which boast themselves as the only authorized saviours of all BSNL workers.

11.Retirees after 1.1.2007.

It is admitted that there is a positive change in the Govt. pension rules for those retired on or after 01.01.2006 to fix their pension on the last pay drawn if it is advantages than 10 months average. BSNLEU can not surrender this benefit as it is not in their hands either to accept or to reject it and they are not competent to do that as in the case of pay scales and allowances revision.

12.Minimum Pay

The 2nd Pay Review committee has not prescribed any multiplying factor for revision of existing scales to new one, as 1.91. Actually 1st pay Review committee has recommended the ratio between the lowest paid executive to the higher paid CMD as 1:6. Accordingly 2nd PRC has recommended the minimum pay of Rs.20,700 for E1 scale and Rs.1,25,000/- for CMD (i.e. 1:6) whereas the JTO / JAO’s are given Rs.16,400/-. As this is not in accordance with the above ratio it is proposed to be revised as Rs.18850/- to make the ratio as (1:6.6). The BSNL management has taken the difference between the pre-revised pay of JTO / JAO (Rs.9850) and the revised pay of Rs.18850/- as the factor of 1.91 for revision of N/E pay scale..

Com. Ashok Babu has taken much pain to justify 1.91 factory quoting the pay scale of a postal clerk instead of a Group – D whose pay is multiplied by 2.75 (i.e 2550 to 7000). In the first wage revision when the minimum of CDA pay was Rs.2550/- the minimum of BSNL IDA scale was Rs.4000/- (i.e., 1.57 times) Now the minimum pay of CDA scale is Rs.7000/-. If the same factor is applied the revised minimum of BSNL should be Rs.10980/-. When it is compared to the minimum of MTNL scale of Rs.4400/- the factor would be 1.725 and the revised minimum should be Rs.12080/-. He has also quoted FCI, CC & ECK to justify 1.91 whereas the BHEL has finalized 2.5 as multiplying factor to revise its pre revised minimum of Rs.4200/- which will work out to Rs.10500/-.

The average cost of the pay scale of Rs.4000-5800 workout to Rs.5050/- and after adding 78.2% IDA and 30% fitment benefit it will workout to Rs.11700 (i.e 5050 + 3950 + 2700). The 6th CPC has abolished first three scales and fixed S-4 as the minimum. Accordingly if NE-4 is taken as the minimum (i.e. 4250 – 6200) total sum as average cost of Rs.5388 would work out to Rs.12481/- (i.e 5388 + 4213 + 2880). Therefore the minimum of Rs.12500/- is the ideal demand which is as per the ratio prescribed by the pay Review committee between minimum of the lowest paid employee to the higher paid executive (i.e 1:10 ) of 12500 : 125000 Instead of doing this exercise, BSNLEU has simply accepted the multiplying factor proposed by the management, thereby ditching the interest of the BSNL Non-Executive employees.

13. Span of the scale

No Comments

14.Maximum of the scale Pension contribution.

The central Govt. has now decided to levy pension contribution to the actual pay plus Grade pay of the employees which is more than the maximum of the Pre-revised scale. i.e the pay scale of Rs.2550-3200 is replaced by 5200-20200 + GP of Rs1800/- i.e 7000-20200. The minimum of Rs.7000/- is more than double the pre-revised maximum of Rs.3200/- and the pension contribution will be more than the same in the pre-revised maximum. Thus the BSNLEU should have insisted open ended pay scales to avoid stagnation or followed the changes made in central Govt scales for our erstwhile cadres of postal department. If the management do not agree to our demand, Com. Namboodri should have broken the talks and tried for a joint action along with other non-recognised unions.

15.Span – Extension and the reality

The extension of the span of the scale by 3 or 4 year will become infructuous, if 78.2% IDA is taken into account for revising the pay in the new scale. 9.4% IDA plus 30% thereon would be 12.22% which is more than 4 increments. Thus the extension of the span by 4 years will nullify the benefit when 78.2% is taken into account. The time bound promotion also will not give relief to the stagnation problem as the difference between the maximum of the scales is even less than one increment in many scales and insignificant in some scales. The only solution is to revise the whole pay scales fixing the minimum as Rs.12500/- and constructing the other scales on this minimum.

16&17 Increments

The 6th CPC and the 2nd wage review committee of PSUs have all recommended increment on percentage basis and therefore naturally the BSNL also to follow suit. There is nothing to boast for BSNLEU as an achievement.

18.Periodicity of Wage Revision

Knowing fully well that the BSNL employees are getting Govt. Pension and it is being revised once in 10 years ( and not 5 years), the BSNLEU has deliberately delayed the wage settlement for one year demanding 5 year agreement as per the decision of CPSTU. There is reason for the demand of 5 year settlement for other PSUs for which no Govt. pension is paid. There is no reason for BSNL unions to demand 5 years settlement besides Govt. Pension which is usually revised once in 10 years only. For the sake of the decision taken in CPSTU, BSNL employees are now made scapegoats as the BSNL company is running in operative loss year after year and it has resulted in a bad wage settlement for which BSNLEU and its allies are fully responsible and they cannot blame other unions for their failure.

19.Why delay in Wage Settlement?

The delay was due to the decision of CPSTU to negotiate wage demands for Non-Executives only after the wage settlement of Executives. Therefore, the BSNLEU has submitted their demands only in July 2008 even though the wage revision committee was formed in November – 2006 itself. Further one year was wasted by insisting 5 year wage agreement which is not possible due to Govt. Pension benefits to BSNL employees. The fact that the BSNL management has already agreed to revise the wages of Non- Executives as and when the wages of Executives are revised, was conveniently hidden by Com. Ashok Babu.

20.DA after wage revision

No Comments.

21.For New recruits

This anomaly is due to the erroneous / defective revision of scale of pay and there is no precedence to settle such cases as earlier pay commissions have devised the pay scales in such a way that none is affected whether the existing employees or the future recruits. BSNLEU is a NOVICE in this respect and have no previous experience in wage negotiation. All that they were dong earlier is putting tall demands but settling nothing and criticizing others.

22.Effect of Extra increments for BCR Grade III

The extra increment granted in lieu of BCR Grade IV is treated as pay for all purposes including pensionary benefit. Therefore it is not an achievement to say that it will be added to basic pay and 30% fitment will be given. (b) Regarding promotions under new scheme, it is unfortunate that the original offer of the management for promotion with financial benefit from 01.01.2007 has been surrendered by the BSNLEU and accepted to get it from 01.04.2008. The applicability of the scheme itself changed to those officials who were in service on 01.04.2008. This is most unfortunate.

23. HRA

As per the first wage agreement, the BSNL employees are eligible for HRA as per the rates, terms and condition as applicable to Central Govt. employees. Accordingly when the Central Govt. employees were given HRA at higher rates from 01.09.2008, BSNL employees should also have been paid HRA at revised rates. Accepting the revised HRA from 27.02.2009 itself is wrong. BSNLEU has already said that the HRA also will be paid from 27.02.2009. But later at the time of signing the recommendations they made a somersault stating that the management is prepared to give higher HRA from 15.01.2010 only. This is a drama to say that getting the benefit of HRA from 27.02.2009 itself is a great achievement. If it is so whether the statement already given by Com. Namboodiri is a false one?

Earlier, the higher rate of HRA according to the reclassification of cities were given to the executives and the same was not extended to non – executives. At that time BSNLEU was silent and only the FNTO raised the issue against the discrimination. After that only BSNLEU has taken up the matter. In such circumstances blaming FNTO & NFTE for their failures is nothing but cheating the workers.

It may be noted that after 1986 pay revision, HRA was given at flat / slab rates instead of percentage rates with effect from 01.10.1986. Subsequently on an award of BOA the percentage rate of HRA was given from 15.01.1986 to 30.09.1986 vide M F O M dated 04.07.1989. Similar proposition should have been placed in the above revision instead of accepting, what is given by the management. BSNL is a fully Govt. owned company and it should be a model employer and should not behave like a private company.

24.Perks

BSNLEU is justifying the stand of the Management for denying increase in allowances citing the fall in revenue and profit in BSNL. As there is no increase in Transport Allowance to executives it is not given to non executives also. The executives may not be interested in Transport Allowance as they are enjoying the facility of company vehicles for commuting from and to their residence. Some executives are even using their own vehicles hired to the company through some contractors for maintenance work but using it for their own purpose and getting thousands of rupees as hire charges per month. Non executives are using their own Vehicles such as scooter, two wheelers, etc., by spending their own money for fuel. Some are Traveling in public buses paying fare at par with general public. Therefore their is no justification to deny revision of Transport Allowance especially when it is increased to 400% (i.e four times) with DA.

Withdrawal of food allowance is also a clear injustice. The BSNLEU is justifying it stating that they have compensated it by 2% skill upgradation allowance at par with executives. The executives are not only given skill upgradation allowance but also given free laptops, free internet facilities to upgrade their skills / knowledge. But they are not going for marketing. The Gr. C and D employees only are sent for marketing under various projects like Udhan, Vijay etc. So there is full justification to grant skill Development allowance and there is no justification for withdrawal of food allowance in lieu thereof. The canteen subsidy given to the departmental canteens was withdrawn consequent on the grant of food allowance. Whether the same is now restored because the food allowance is withdrawn?

Similarly no increase in Rural allowance, washing allowance, Family Planning allowances etc. Other allowance increased by 50% only when the same is doubled (i.e 100 increase) in central services. It is consoled that it will be reviewed in 2012. It may be noted that in 2012 more that 50% of the employees will be retired from service and there will not be much employees to avail any increase. By that time the central and state Govt. employees also will get further increase of 25% in their rate of allowances.

25. Uniform & Washing Allowance

 Abolishing the uniform is the tactics adopted by the BSNL Management to deny washing allowance and also to reduce the expenditure on account of purchase and supply of uniforms. Not wearing the uniform is the excuse told by the BSNL Management to justify their proposal of abolishing uniforms. The BSNLEU has succumbed to this pressure tactics of BSNL Management and agreed to maintain statusquo and in regard to the revision of washing allowance. Actually the Board of Arbitration has already given an award to revise the rate of washing allowance to Rs.60/- and the 6th CPC also recommended the same vide para 04.02.1981. the award of BOA was already brought to the notice of Com. Namboodiri, by FNTO, TN Circle union in the year 2005, but there is no response to that proposal so far. Thus BSNLEU has surrendered the rights of the uniformed employees also for the reasons best known to him only.

26.Applicability of CCS Rules in BSNL

As per the agreement reached between the three Federations and CMD BSNL on 02.01.2001, the following proposals were approved.

1. Implementation of standing orders of the Industrial Employment Act, 1946

BSNL service rules are to be finalized after discussion with the recognized union formed by the optees of BSNL and the standing orders of Industrial Employment Act 1946.

2. Service Rules

In the mean time, it was agreed that Government will continue to apply existing rules / regulations. This is in line as per the provisions of Rule 13-B of standing orders of Industrial Employment Act, 1946. However, certain provisional terms and conditions for absorption are enclosed at Annexure I.

As per the above agreement until new rules are framed by the BSNL for Leave rules, the provisions of the existing CCS (LR) 1972 continue to be applicable. As per the amended leave rules, the women employees are eligible to 180 days of maternity leave and the stand of the BSNL Management that it was a company and Government rules were not applicable, is incorrect. This should have been challenged by the BSNLEU and its allies. Instead, silently accepting the stand of the management shows the incapability of the representative union.

27. Bonus / PLI

No Comments

28. Promotion Policy & Wage Revision Fate of 9200 Scale.

In the absence of 9200 scale for fourth promotions for Sr.TOA / TTA cadres, the proposed scale of Rs.9850/- for 10% of the officials in Rs.9200 scale will not be fructified. In the promotion scheme the first promotion scale for Sr.TOAs will be Rs.6550/- and not Rs.7100/- as it exists. For those who are drawing maximum of the lower scale or drawing near about to the maximum of the scale will not give any relief as the maximum of the two scales i.e lower scale and promoted scale is not even equal to one increment. This will be exposed when the orders for promotion scheme is issued and implemented.

29. TSMs / CCS / Contract Labours

The number of TSMs and casual labourers in BSNL are negligible and therefore the beneficiaries are also small in number

So far as contract labours are concerned, the stand of the management is that they are not employing contract labours instead giving the work on contract to contractors as work contract. It is for the contractors to apply the rules of EPF, ESI etc. to contract labourers.

The fact is that most of the contracts have been taken up by the local leaders of various unions in colabaration with some executives and they are not doing justice to contract labourers.

The solution to avoid this exploitation is the direct appointment of contract or casual labourers by the BSNL management itself.

30. Attack on NFTE – FNTO alliance by the BSNLEU

30) (a) It may be noted that the first wage negotiation was completed in 5 months time. It started on 23.11.2001 and agreement signed on 25.04.2002 duly completing the negotiation on 23, 24.04.2002.

(b) 1st Pay Review committee for PSU, headed by Mr. Justice S.Mohan completed the job within 22 months for the entire PSU executives.

© 2nd pay review committee headed by Mr. Justice J.R.Rao has completed the task within 24 months for 16, 13, 989 executives.

(d) Even the 6th CPC has completed the mega task of recommending new pay scales for the entire central Govt. employees and pensioners including Railways, defence forces within a period of 17 months.

(e) But, for the 2.4 lakhs BSNL Non-executive employees the BSNLEU, the representative union took nearly 37 months (i.e 3 years and one month) to decide the new pay scales as replacement scales for the existing scales. No cadre review has been done and the demands of various cadres pending for the past 5 years have not been discussed and decided at all. In order to hide their failure they are blaming FNTO / NFTE unions.

(f) They took nearly 19 months time to submit the memorandum of demands for new scales. They were dilly-dallying the discussion for one more year demanding 5 year wage settlement as decided by the CPSTU.

(g) As clearly declared by Com. Namboodiri, they were waiting for the executives to settle their demands. In BSNL, orders for revision of wages for executives were issued on 27.02.2009. Even after this they have deleberately delaying the discussion for one more year keeping the next election in their mind. They know very well that they could not achieve 5 year settlement due to the Govt. Pension for BSNL employees.

(h) They are unable to boast themselves about the poor settlement that too after 37 months delay. That is why they are blaming FNTO / NFTE.

(i) Even though, BSNLEU claims that they have achieved 30% fitment benefit, the actual increase is only 23.2% much less than the benefit obtained by other PSUs. Even the Central Govt employees got more than 33% benefit (taking into account the basic pay and DA as on 1.1.2006).

(j) BSNLEU says, if the pay revision for Non executives employees was settled before the settlement of executives we would have got less benefit. But while giving allowances the executives were given the same from 27.02.009 whereas for Non executives it is given from 15.01.2010. This itself clearly shows that their claim of more benefits for Non-Executives if it is settled after the executives is baseless and motivated by some other causes i.e political commitment. Ultimately the BSNL employees have become scape goat for BSNLEU’s blunder.

(k) BSNLEU wanted the other unions to join strikes organized by them, but not to discuss and formulate the demands. Formal meeting of all union was not convened as was done by Com. Gupta at the time of first wage revision. Actually their period of recognition expires in January 2011. They have no moral rights to decide the pay scales for more than their period of recognition. In other industries all the unions have entered into joint negotiation and signed the agreement. If Com. Namboodri, was really interested in unity for wage negotiation, he should have nominated the General Secretaries of all Other unions also as member of the wage review committee. Rather he wanted the others to join them as observers or to show strength for their own cause. Who will agree to such sort of treatment. Will Com. Namboodri agree to be an observer, if his is not a recognized union. They are not ashamed to say that this is the best possible wage settlement.

31.Lessons learnt

(a) BSNLEU wants the unity of CPSTU on political grounds. They don’t want the unity of BSNL unions.

(b) They still believe that only the strike is the solution for settlement of demands and have no faith in the negotiation. Their intention is to paralyze the Nation by organizing Unions in the entire Telecom Industry which will not materialize even at a distant date.

[C] In fact, BSNLEU alliance is an anti-workers alliance. It is proved in many cases such as cancellation of anomaly agreements, treacherous promotion agreement, wage settlement, etc.

(d)(1) The alleged loss is not due Govt. policy alone. Excessive operative expenses due to corruption at all levels which is not exposed by the Representative Union. Advising their members not to support the initiatives of the company for improvement of business is also one of the reasons for loss of revenue, If not so, why they are talking of improvement of work culture among employees.

(2) What steps they have taken to curb the expenditure?

(3) What steps they took to satisfy the BSNL customers to give fault free services?


Conclusion:

Even now it is not late. The leaders of BSNL workers Alliance join together and announce a major action programme to draw the attention of the Management for reconsideration of the recommendation made by the Wage revision committee.

D.CHANDRASEKARAN

 Circle Secretary, TN circle,
& AGS, NUBSNLW(FNTO)
Vellore,
11-2-2010