People's Democracy

United Forum of BSNL Unions

Warns of Indefinite Strike

The United Forum Of BSNL Unions � comprising of BSNL Employees Union, Telecom Employees Progressive Union,  BSNL Mazdoor Sangh (BTEF), All India Backward Classes Telecom Employees Sangathan, SC/ST Employees Welfare Association of BSNL, Bahujan Trade Union of BSNL � has issued the following statement on August 20, 2009.

THE strike by more than 2 lakh non-executive employees of BSNL demanding immediate wage revision, implementation of promotion policy, wage settlement for contract workers, 50 per cent IDA merger for BSNL retirees etc. continued for the second day on August 20, 2009, with more employees participating.

The BSNL offices in the six North Eastern states, Kerala, West Bengal and Kolkata Telephones etc. continue to be closed since no official has attended to work. All over the country, the participation in the strike has increased with more and more workers joining.

The BSNL management has not yet started negotiation, despite the fact that vast majority of the staff are on strike. The management has stated that there is no delay in wage revision, but the fact is that the wage revision in due from January 1, 2007. Both for ITS officers and executives in BSNL, wage revision has already been settled months back and arrears were also paid. It is only the wages of non-executives that has not been settled. The promotion policy of executives has been implemented years back but not that of non-executives. The report of the anomaly committee finalised in 2005 is yet to be implemented. Casual and contract workers are not paid their due wages. The management is not implementing the provisions of Contract Labour Act as also Minimum Wages Act. It is this undue delay in settling all matters that has escalated into the present 48-hours strike.

If the management does not take immediate action on wage revision and other long pending issues, the United Forum of BSNL Unions will be compelled to call for an indefinite strike, the responsibility for which will entirely lie upon the management.