Wish You All A Happy New Year

WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR

                2012

LET US ALWAYS REMEMBER

ON THIS DAY

Calculate your Income Tax

Just three days for the  New Year to born and it is time to calculate your income tax and plan for necessary savings.

Please visit

http://www.gconnect.in/personal-income-tax/gconnect-income-tax-calculator-for-2011-12-a-year-2012-13.html

where every thing is as simple as possible.

Our sincere thanks to Sri D.D. Mistry for sharing the information.

ஞானோதயம்!

When we did not join the strike on 15/12, we told the issues related directly to the staff are not included and hence our decision not to strike. Now those who struck work now realise it. Read what NFTE Vellore says:

From www.nftevellore.org dated 27-12-2011

December 15th Strike: In Vellore SSA, over 750 BSNL employees have participated in the strike of which about 70 are Executives. More than 250 employees were on leave. Others were on duty.

From what had been discussed with the CMD on the day of strike by the JAC leaders and in the meeting with the CLC, one can very well understand that the only demand of the strike was repatriation of ITS officers. The other demands like No VRS, 78.2% IDA merger, Bonus, etc were given least or nil importance.

The JAC meets today and may again give a call for strike with the sole aim of achieving this single demand but camouflage it with many other attractive demands. Time for us to ponder whether to lose our salary by joining such a strike.

15 டிசம்பரில் வேலைநிறுத்தம் செய்த JAC ஊழியர் பிரச்சினைகளான 78.2% IDA Merger, VRS, போனஸ் போன்ற ஊழியர் பிரச்சினைகளைப் பற்றி, நிர்வாகத்திடம் பேவில்லையாம். ITS அதிகாரிகள் பிரச்சினை மட்டுமே பிஎஸ்என்எல் நிர்வாகம் மற்றும் லேபர் கமிஷனர் ஆகியோரிடம் பேசப்பட்டதாம். ஒரு நாள் ஊதியம் போனதுதான் மிச்சமாம். அதிகாரிகள் சங்கங்கள் ஊழியர்களைத் தங்களுக்கு சாதகமாக வேலைநிறுத்தம் செய்ய வைத்து தங்களுக்கு எது லாபமோ அதை நிறைவேற்றிக்கொள்ள மீண்டும் ஊழியர்களை வேலைநிறுத்தம் செய்யத் தூண்டலாமாம். வேலைநிறுத்தத்தில் பங்கேற்று சம்பளத்தை இழக்க வேண்டுமா?

கேட்பது வேலைநிறத்தத்தில் பங்கேற்ற என்எப்டீஈ வேலூர் மாவட்ட சங்கம்!

MOU with Canara Bank for extending various Loan schemes

BSNL Corporate Office signed  MOU with Canara Bank for extending various Loan schemes to BSNL employees. The details are furnished in the annexure.


BHARAT SANCTIAR NIGAM LIMITEI)
(A Govt. of India Enterprise)
CORPORATE OFFICE (Banking Finance Division)
5" 'Floor .B haratS ar rchaBr havan.H ar ishC handraM athur Lane
Janpath New Delhi -I 10001

No:-I -9lBBF/StafLf oanll0-I I

To
Dated:19-12-2011
All Circles' IFA

Sub: MOU Signed with Canara Bank for extending various Loan Schemes to BSNL
Employees.

MOu with Canara Bank for extending various loans to BSNL employees has
beens ignedo n 8t l 'Dec2 011.T he generatle rmsa ndc ondi t ionsa reg i veni n Annexure- l l
of MOU andt he rateso f i r r teresltb r thev ar iousl oansa reg iven in annexure- l l lo f MOU
A copy of the agreementh as been placedo n oLl ri nt ranets i te wr ,vw. int ranet .bsnl .co. in
underh eadD i rector( Fin) ands ub-headB Lrdee&t FinanceC ont rol .

E,ncl:C opy of agreernent

The Asstt. General Manager,
House, 6 Bhaewan Dass Road,
CanaraB ank,R etailA ssetsH ub,S arojini
New Delhi -1 I 0001, for informat iopnl ease.
Copy to:

BSNL rings in VRS, hoping to wipe out losses in three years

Expects the scheme to lead to Rs 2,400-cr savings annually

Hyderabad, Dec. 16: 

Faced with a severe financial crunch and stuck with losses of Rs 6,000 crore this financial year as well, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is pinning its hopes on a VRS (voluntary retirement scheme) plan to improve its balance-sheet, despite strong protests from employees.

While it will pay out Rs 4,000 crore towards the scheme, BSNL expects the Government to pay Rs 12,000 crore as one-time compensation payments under the VRS. The VRS is expected to result in savings of Rs 2,400 crore annually, ringing in savings of 16 per cent in the wage bill.

This is one of the strategies for BSNL to improve its financial position and wipe out losses in the next three years.

“We are confident that losses will be maintained at Rs 6,000 crore or less this financial year,” said Mr Rakesh K. Upadhyay, Chairman and Managing Director, BSNL. BSNL incurred a loss of Rs 6,000 crore in 2010-11.

Mr Upadhyay ruled out plans of going in for a public issue or a merger with MTNL. He was here on Friday to launch the ‘Choose Your Mobile Number' scheme that allows users to pick a number of choice by using the BSNL Web site, sending an SMS or going to a retailer. It pops up lots of 10 numbers each from a pool of one lakh numbers.

Seeks spectrum fee return

BSNL has asked the Government to return BWA (Broadband Wireless Access) spectrum fee of Rs 6,000 crore and compensation for operating in areas that are not commercially viable. It has also asked the Government to allow it to use its vast land-bank in prime areas (that it acquired from the pre-BSNL days) to start public-private partnerships earn get additional revenues. For now, it plans to start tapping the land it bought in the post-BSNL era.

BSNL's plan to offer VRS to about one-third (or one lakh) of its employees has triggered protests from employees, who allege that it was ITS (Indian Telecom Services) officers who were responsible for the decline in the organisation's fortunes.

Business Line 17/12/2011

VRS பற்றி AIBSNLOA

Thanks to Sri D.D. Mistry for sharing this

VRS – some facts

This is not the first time that talk of VRS in BSNL has hit the headlines. BSNL Management proposed VRS in the year 2004 itself, at a time when BSNL was financially quite healthy. The issue was even discussed with the staff side in National Council. But it did not progress further since a group of BSNL Unions had been opposing the same. Subsequently, the proposal was mooted time and again, but it was not pursued seriously by the BSNL Management. Then came the recommendations by Sam Pitroda Panel, advising reduction of staff strength by one third. However DoT and BSNL preferred to soft pedal on this issue. But things changed after BRPSE, after a meeting held on 21.12.2010, gave various recommendations to improve BSNL’s physical and financial performance. Vide its Recommendation No.3, BSNL was asked ‘to submit details about category-wise identification of surplus staff as well as broad financial implications of suggested

VRS options.’

Since then there have been flurry of activities on this issue.

On 19.5.2011, BSNL submitted its Action Taken Report on BRPSE recommendations, wherein it had proposed two options for VRS, one based on DPE guidelines (Gujarat Model) and the other – BSNL’s own proposal providing for notional increments for remaining period of service. The contents of the proposals were published in AIBSNLOA CHQ site on 24.6.2011. No other website had published this information.

On 27.7.2011, AIBSNLOA published the information in its website that, ‘DoT is understood to have conveyed its decision on the proposal indicating detailed action points on the issue.’ Again on 13.9.2011, AIBSNLOA posted the information in its website that, ‘DoT has written to CMD BSNL requesting "Action taken on VRS in BSNL as discussed during the meeting in DOT on 1st September, 2011 may also be approved."’ No other union/association published this information. The representative union and the Executive Associations enjoying the patronage and facilities from the Management kept a studied silence on the matter, like the proverbial ostrich burying its head in the sand.

Only after the contents of the BSNL presentation on VRS to Hon’ble Minister of Communications & IT were published in AIBSNLOA site on 15.9.2011, these associations and the union half-heartedly admitted that such a proposal existed, that too after pressure from their members.

Even one Executive Association which announced on 1-9-2011 that the CMD appreciated the Association for its foresight of cautioning its members well in time about the emergence of such a situation and advised to apprise its members that management would be compelled to take drastic measures in the days to come in view of continuously failing health of the Company, which included deferring of promotions across the board by one to two years, stopping of both All India LTC and

also leave encashment on LTC, along with stopping payment of medical reimbursement without vouchers for outdoor treatment, did not utter a word regarding

VRS which was in the offing.

So, it can be inferred that these unions/associations chose to remain silent, while all the developments mentioned above were happening on the VRS front. May be there was a tacit understanding between them and the BSNL Management on the issue. The Executives are quite aware of all these developments although they are not vocal enough to express their views. Therefore call for agitation by these unions and associations did not come as a surprise and was seen only as a token protest. As expected, the other major union without recognition has taken a stand to oppose VRS, mainly based on ideological difference.

Although the Government policies and the DoT & the BSNL Management both controlled by ITS officers are mainly to blame for the present financial health of BSNL, which was the No.2 Service Operator till 2004 in Mobile Service Sector, the representative union and the two associations enjoying the facilities and patronage of Management are also responsible for the present day situation, by remaining mute spectators all along. They shirked their responsibility, as the sole negotiators on behalf of the employees and officers of BSNL, in effectively settling the issues like, restoration of justified ADC charges, reimbursement of license fee, continuation of compensation for loss making rural services, pension contribution by BSNL to DoT on actual basic pay, settlement of the issue of 60% ceiling fixed by DoT on its responsibility of paying pension, etc., which have existed for many years now, on which these unions and associations pretend to show seriousness only now. In spite of a few strike calls, the issues were never negotiated seriously and hence the outcome of the strikes was practically zero.

AIBSNLOA called its members to join the strike on one occasion, although it was not a party to the strike decision, by way of showing its solidarity towards the issue. But the strike ended in a few hours, with an assurance from the Minister offering nothing. Other important issues like revision of tendering and procurement policy, physical transfer of assets from DoT to BSNL, changing over from commercial tariff to industrial tariff for power consumption, cancellation of all AMCs for exchanges etc. were either not taken up or were not pursued seriously to reach a conclusion. If a large group of Executives and many non-Executives are eagerly awaiting announcement of VRS today, it is because of the fear psychosis created by one Executive Association that ‘the BSNL employees and their family would start bleeding’ and its open approval of the Management’s decisions of withdrawal of leave encashment on LTC, withdrawal of medical facility without voucher and more drastic measures in the days to come. This particular association which refused to participate in the agitation called by its own group on the above issues a few days ago, is now found presiding over the agitation on the same issues which exposes its double game. Arguments put up by some unions against VRS that, post-VRS, the remaining employees will face extra work load and transfers, will only help in driving more employees towards opting for VRS.

AIBSNLOA felt that this time the Management is really serious about implementing VRS, mainly due to clear directions from the Minister. AIBSNLOA had already made known its stand on VRS during its presentation to DoT on the recommendations of Pitroda committee, that ‘trimming the size of the organization is important for its financial health, but implementation of any VRS scheme should be purely voluntary and no coercion or indirect pressures be exerted on the employees.’ Since the BSNL Board was to approve the proposals on VRS in its meeting on 29th September 2011, which was expected to be approved by the DoT agreeing to fund the scheme, again at the instance of the Minister, time was running out and hence AIBSNLOA submitted its views on VRS to the CMD BSNL in writing, taking a balanced and pragmatic stand on VRS and suggesting very important and crucial points for improving the scheme, before BSNL takes a final decision in its Board meeting. AIBSNLOA’s practical stand and suggestions have received wide appreciation from BSNL employees and officers alike, irrespective of affiliations. Due to modernization and introduction of new technology, staff have been rendered surplus ever since the 1980s. But the representative union of those days ensured that the staff rendered surplus was trained and retrained in the new technology through the Cadre Restructuring Scheme so that they did not become redundant. But technology has been changing in a fast pace than expected, leaving more employees surplus. Since no effort has been taken for further restructuring and retraining, many of them have become redundant. As a consequence, the wage bill has been rising disproportionate to the output. VRS is the only legitimate option available for the Management to reduce the redundant staff by providing adequate compensation. VRS at earlier stages when the company was financially healthy would have fetched more compensation for the VRS optees, since the DPE guidelines for VRS provides for lower compensation for marginally profit/loss making PSUs and much lower compensation for sick PSUs. Even at this stage, if the VRS proposals are dropped by the Management for any reason, it is bound to resurface some time later, but with further lesser compensation. Till now, VRS has mainly targeted the non-executive employees. It should also be noted that after introduction and stabilization of the ERP (Enterprises Resources Planning) Project in BSNL, staff in all cadres, including Group B and Group A level officers, would be further rendered surplus in very large numbers,. It is in this background that AIBSNLOA formed a considered opinion that “trimming the size of the organization is important for its financial health, but implementation of any VRS scheme should be purely voluntary and no coercion or indirect pressures be exerted on the employees.”

Any responsible trade union/association should analyze the proposal taking into account this background and all the relevant facts and should face the challenge squarely, instead of merely recording the protest and allowing things to flow out of their control, without benefiting anyone. The leadership should be bold enough to work out solutions without token opposition and should ensure that the VRS optees are not at the mercy of the Management and those remaining after VRS do not face undue hardship. Therefore, it is pertinent that all unions and associations which are really and honestly interested in the survival of BSNL as well as the employees, come together and concentrate on settling the core issues like continued Government support assured at the time of corporatization viz. reimbursement of licence fee paid by BSNL, continuation of compensation under USO fund for loss making rural services, pension contribution by BSNL to DoT on actual basic pay, settlement of the issue of 60% ceiling fixed by DoT on its responsibility of paying pension, proper tendering and procurement policy, physical transfer of all assets from DoT without further delay, bringing in professional managers at all levels, autonomy in decision making, restoration of curtailed benefits like leave encashment on LTC, medical allowance and approval of 78.2% for fixation in revised pay etc. The struggle to achieve all these cannot be impulsive and instantaneous, but shall be a prolonged one, which would include mobilizing public support on the necessity of BSNL to remain in the stage, to keep the prices affordable as are now and not allowing private operators to return to the old days when they charged exorbitant prices. Members of other unions and associations will also support such a movement in the course of time. Trade union movement can survive the onslaught of technology and government policies only by changing tactics and adopting new strategies in consonance with the changing times and changing environment, which is the need of the time.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” - Charles Darwin

******* (11-10-2011)

SOURCE: AIBSNLOA WEB.

Reduction in retirement age for all BSNL staff - FNTO opposes

11.12.2011: Copy of GS, FNTO letter addressed to Shri R.K. Upadhyay, CMD, BSNL New Delhi dated 10th December 2011from camp at Chennai.

Sub: Reduction in retirement age for all BSNL staff.

It is learnt that some quarters are negotiating with management for reduction in retirement age (60 to 58) in lieu of VRS. Reduction in retirement age is nothing but compulsory retirement for all staff at the age of 58 and the popular sentiment amongst the staff is against such proposal, management may be aware of.

Our union, NUBSNLW (FNTO) had already made it clear that we will not oppose VRS provided it is purely voluntary with a satisfactory package. If management imposes reduction in retirement age due to pressure from vested interest, our union will totally oppose it and organize prolonged trade union action. We hope management will not resort to reduction in retirement age to offset the loss.

With Regards,

Yours Sincerely,

K.Vallinayagam
General Secretary
NUBSNLW (FNTO)

ஓய்வு வயது 58 ஆக குறைப்பு – FNTO எதிர்ப்பு

      VRS  திட்டத்துக்கு மாற்றாக, ஓய்வு பெறும் வயதை 60-லிருந்து      58 ஆகக்  குறைப்பதற்கான யோசனையை முன்வைத்து ஒரு சாரார் நிர்வாகத்தோடு பேச்சுவார்த்தையில் இறங்கி யிருப்பதாகத் தகவல் கிடைத்திருக்கிறது. ஓய்வு பெறும் வயதைக்  குறைப்பதென்பது 58 வயதில் ஊழியர்கள் அனைவரையும் கட்டாய ஓய்வில் அனுப்புவது என்பதைத் தவிர வேறில்லை. மேலும், அனைத்து ஊழியர்களின் பொதுவான மனோபாவமும் அது போன்ற ஒரு திட்டத்துக்கு எதிரானதாகவே இருக்குமென்பதும் நிர்வாகத்திற்கு தெரிந்திருக்கும்.

தொழிலாளர்கள் மீது விருப்ப ஓய்வுத் திட்டத்தைத் திணிக்காமல், விருப்ப ஓய்வில் செல்ல முன்வரும் தொழிலாளர்களுக்கு அதிகபட்ச பயன்தரக் கூடிய நல்லதொரு திட்டத்தை வழங்க நிர்வாகம் முன்வரும் போது அதை தேவையின்றி எதிர்க்க வேண்டிய அவசியமில்லை என்ற FNTO-வின் நிலையை ஏற்கனவே தெளிவு படுத்தியிருக்கிறோம்.

இந்தச் சூழ்நிலையில், குறிப்பிட்ட சிலரின் தனிப்பட்ட சுயலாப நோக்கங்களுக்கு அடிபணிந்து, ஓய்வு பெறும் வயதைக்  குறைப்பதென்னும் முடிவை நிர்வாகம் எடுத்தால், அதை நாங்கள் முழுமையாக எதிர்த்து தொடர் போராட்டங்களில் ஈடுபடுவோம். நஷ்டத்தை ஈடுகட்டுவதற்காக இதுபோன்ற ஓய்வு வயதைக்  குறைக்கும் முயற்சிகளில் நிர்வாகம் இறங்காதென்று நம்புகிறோம்.

BSNL-ன் VRS திட்டத்துக்கு அரசு ஒப்புதல்

ஒரு லட்சம் ஊழியர்களை விருப்ப ஓய்வில் அனுப்புவதற்கான BSNL-ன் VRS திட்டத்தை  DOT கொள்கையளவில் ஏற்றுக் கொண்டுள்ளது. விரைவில், இதுபற்றிய குறிப்பு (cabinet note) மத்திய அமைச்சரவையின் ஒப்புதலுக்காக அனுப்பி வைக்கப்படும் என்று தெரிகிறது.

பயன்படா அலைக்கற்றைக்கான பணத்தை BSNL-க்கு திருப்பித்தர DOT சம்மதம்:

     4 மாநிலங்களைத் தவிர்த்து, 17 மாநிலங்களில் BSNL-க்கு பயன்படா அலைக்கற்றையை அரசிடமே ஒப்படைக்கும்    BSNL-ன் முடிவை DOT ஏற்றுக் கொண்டுள்ளது. ஆனால், அதற்கான கட்டணத்தை அடுத்த ஆண்டு மறுஏலம் முடிந்த பிறகே BSNL-க்கு திருப்பித்தர முடியும் என்று DOT தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

Govt. gives nod to BSNL’s VRS plan

Flash News

Govt. gives nod to BSNL’s VRS plan.

DOT has agreed in principle to approve the VRS proposal submitted by BSNL and a cabinet note for the same will be floated shortly, as it is learnt.

Refund of license fee for unused BWA:

DOT has written to BSNL that BSNL will be allowed to surrender the unused BWA spectrum in 17 circles but the refund of license fee will be made only after the 2^nd Auction to be held during next year.

மத்தியச் செயற்குழுக் கூட்டம் - சென்னை

தேசிய BSNL தொழிலாளர் சங்கம்-FNTO வின் அகில இந்தியச் செயற்குழுக் கூட்டம் டிசம்பர் 1, 2 தேதிகளில் சென்னையில் மிகச் சிறப்பாக நடைபெற்றது. இன்றைய சூழலில் BSNL மற்றும் தொழிலாளர்கள் எதிர்கொண்டுவரும் பல்வேறு பிரச்சினைகள் குறித்தும் விரிவான விவாதங்கள் நடைபெற்றன. செயற்குழுவில் காலியாக இருந்த பதவிகள் நிரப்பப் பட்டன. தமிழகத்தின் சார்பில், திருச்சி மாவட்டச் செயலரும் மூத்த தோழருமான அப்துல் வஹாப் உதவிப் பொதுச் செயலராக நியமிக்கப் பட்டார்.

டிசம்பர் 2-ம் தேதி முற்பகலில், BSNL-ன் சேவைகள் மற்றும் வாடிக்கையாளரின் தேவைகள் (BSNL Services and Customer orientation) என்ற தலைப்பில் கருத்தரங்கம் நடைபெற்றது. தேசியச் சங்கத்தின் அகில இந்தியத் தலைவர் தோழர் தாமஸ் ஜான் தலைமையேற்று கருத்தரங்கத்தைச் செழுமைப் படுத்தினார். திரு A.சுப்பிரமணியன், CGM, Chennai Telephones மற்றும்  திரு முகம்மது அஸ்ரப் கான், CGM, TN Circle ஆகியோர் கலந்துகொண்டு   BSNL-ன் புதிய சேவைகள் குறித்தும், தரமான சேவைகள் மூலம் BSNL-ஐ வலுப்படுத்த எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ள நடவடிக்கைகள் குறித்தும் விளக்கினர்.

இறுதியாக, விரிவான விவாதங்களுக்குப் பிறகு எடுக்கப்பட்ட முடிவுகளின் அடிப்படையில் பல தீர்மானங்கள் நிறைவேற்றப்பட்டன.

டிசம்பர்-15 Strike - FNTO பங்கேற்காது

டிசம்பர் 1, 2 தேதிகளில் சென்னையில் நடைபெற்ற அகில இந்தியச் செயற்குழுக் கூட்டத்தில் விரிவான விவாதங்களுக்குப் பிறகு எடுக்கப்பட்ட முடிவின் படி,

டிசம்பர் 15 அன்று JAC மற்றும் BWA நடத்தும் வேலைநிறுத்தத்தில்

FNTO பங்கேற்கவில்லை.