Superannuation benefits to BSNL recruits

Circle Executive Committee meeting of SNEA, UP(W) Circle 

A grand Circle Executive Committee meeting of SNEA, UP(West) Circle and a combined general body meeting was held at ALTTC Auditorium, Gaziabad on 17.09.2016. It was a grand beginning to the membership verification campaign in UP(West) Circle. More than 350 comrades from different SSAs of UP(West) and ALTTC attended the meeting.

CHQ leaders President Com A A Khan, Chairman Com G L Jogi and AGS Com Padmanabha Rao addressed the meeting on importance of membership verification, BSNL viability related issues, SWAS (Service With A Smile) programme and recent developments on HR issues. CP Com V K Yadav and CS Com Sanjeev Sharma addressed the CEC meeting about the developments and preparations in UP(W) Circle. Sri Sabesan/CGM ALTTC, Sri M K Seth/ CGM, AS Circle, Sri Sanjeev Tyagi/GM Gaziabad and Sri Sanjeev Singhal/GM ERP addressed the open session.

The meeting was made a grand success by the SNEA leaders of Gaziabad led by Com Karamveer Nagar, Com Vinod Sharma/CWC memeber, Com Aggarwal/CT etc.

On BSNL viability, CHQ leaders explained the splendid role played by the Assn in protecting BSNL like disinvestment, copper cable unbundling, GSM tender cancellation, BWA spectrum surrendering, illegal 3G roaming, ITS absorption, tower subsidiary, BSNL & MTNL merger, procurement etc. The future career prospect of each and every employee is depending upon the growth and affordability of BSNL. BSNL management taken lot of marketing initiatives recently and we have to translate them into business. Night Free Call, Free Roaming, call diversion etc are some of such initiatives. Steps are taken to expand the network like Phase VII plus, proposed phase VIII, procurement of 232 edge routers in MPLS, Wi-Fi Hotspots, NGN, OF cable procurement etc etc. SWAS programme of the Forum is a step in this direction with special focus on quality of service and customer satisfaction. All our attention during this year is on SWAS programme. The 3^rd PRC implementation and the future of lakhs of employees of BSNL depends upon the growth and revenue of this year.

Important HR issues are 1) 3^rd PRC implementation (3rd PRC constitution is the result of our agitation in June under NCOA), 2) replacement of intermediary pay scales of E1A and E2A, rejected by DoT with E2 and E3 for the JTO/JAOs recruited after 01.01.2007, 3) implementation of CPSU Cadre Hierarchy upto AGM, 4) Superannuation benefit to BSNL direct rects, 5) promotions in various cadres, 6) first TBP after 5 years instead of 6 years, 7) notional pay of E1A and E2A w.e.f 01.10.2000 for JTO/JAO of Civil/Elect/Arch/PA/PS etc.

United Forum of BSNL Executive Associations comprising SNEA, AIBSNLEA and AIGETOA  served notice on 17.08.2016 for organizational actions protesting against the inordinate delay in implementation of a) standard pay scales of E2 and E3 for JTO, SDE and equivalent cadres, b) 30% superannuation benefit for BSNL Recruited Employees and c) implementation of CPSU Cadre Hierarchy and first TBP.

Demands:

1. Immediate replacement of intermediary pay scales of E1-A and E2-A by standard pay scales of E2 and E3 for JTO and SDE equivalent cadres w.e.f 01.01.2007 as per the recommendation of the Joint Committee.

2. Extending 30% Superannuation benefit to BSNL recruited Employees as per the recommendation of 2nd PRC.

GS addressed letter to CMD on officiating Pay Protection: Continuing harassment of Executives in the name of wrong policies and clarifications issued by Pers Cell on 30.05.2007 and 19.02.2010 against the provisions of EPP approved by BSNL Board/DoT and FR SR provisions --- inordinate delay in implementing the decisions taken in the meeting held on 11.05.2016 and 17.05.2016 created large scale resentment among the Executives:

CHQ leaders tour in different Circles during 14^th to 17^th September,2016:

Strengthen SNEA, Strengthen BSNL

GS, CHQ President and Chairman toured various SSAs of AP/Telangana, UP East, UP West and MP Circles specially focussing on BSNL viability related issues, SWAS (Service With A Smile) programme and recent developments on HR issues. CHQ/Circle leaders addressed the general body meetings in connection with membership verification.

Since the future career prospects of each employee is fully depending upon the growth and affordability of BSNL, CHQ leaders in their address mainly focussed on the growth related issues. BSNL taken lot of marketing initiatives recently and we have to translate them into business. Night Free Call, Free Roaming, call diversion etc are some of such initiatives. Steps are taken to expand the network like Phase VII plus, proposed phase VIII, procurement of 232 edge routers in MPLS, Wi-Fi Hotspots, NGN, OF cable procurement etc etc. SWAS programme of the Forum is a step in this direction with special focus on quality of service and customer satisfaction. All our attention during this year is on SWAS programme. The growth and revenue of this year is going to decide the future of lakhs of employees of BSNL. The 3^rd PRC implementation depends on the performance of this year.

CHQ President Com A A Khan addressed the special general body meetings at Saharanpur & Muzafarnagar(on 14^th) and Aligargh & Bulandshahar(on 16^th) in UP West Circle. CS/UP West Com Sanjeev Sharma and CP/UP West Com V K Yadav also addressed the meetings.

Chairman Com G L Jogi addressed special general body meetings at Fatehpur & Kanpur(on 14^th), Orai (on 15^th) and Jhansi(on 16^th) in UP East Circle. AGS Com P K Shukla, CS/UP East Com  A K Trivedi, CP/UP East Com P. K. Sirothia also addressed the meetings. Chairman and CS/MP Com Dutta Majumdar addressed the special general body meeting at Gwalior on 16^th Sept in MP Circle.

GS Com K Sebastin addressed the special general body meetings at Nizamabad & Karim Nargar(on 14^th), Mahuboobnagr & Karnool(on 15^th), Anathpur & Cudappa(on 16^th) and Tirupathi SSA Conference(on 17^th) in Telangana and AP Circles. CP Com Umamaheshwar Rao, ACS Com Ravikumar Reddy also addressed the meetings. CS Com A Viswanath, CT Com Vidyasagar Reddy, CWC members Com Jaganmohan Reddy, Com S Sreenivas and Com Bhaskar Rao addressed the meetings at various SSAs.

3rd PRC constitution is the result of our agitation under NCOA. Initially Govt was not ready to constitute the PRC, Govt was keen to entrust that job to concerned CPSUs and administrative ministry. SNEA is the only Assn in BSNL, participated in the agitation of NCOA. NCOA and SNEA given a detailed presentation to 3^rd PRC and demanded in addition to open ended pay scales, 30% fitment, 4% increments etc, 1) pay revision should be delinked from affordability and 2) superannuation benefits should be made mandatory for every PSU.

Most prominent and pending HR issues are 1) replacement of intermediary pay scales of E1A and E2A, rejected by DoT with E2 and E3 for the JTO/JAOs recruited after 01.01.2007, 2) implementation of CPSU Cadre Hierarchy upto AGM, 3) Superannuation benefit to BSNL direct rects, 4) promotions in various cadres, 5) first TBP after 5 years instead of 6 years, 6) notional pay of E1A and E2A w.e.f 01.10.2000 for JTO/JAO of Civil/Elect/Arch/PA/PS etc.

On pay scales, through continuous struggles, the scales got upgraded in 1987, 1996 and 2002 during BSNL absorption. E2, E3 pay scales demand got strong justification after the rejection of E1A and E2A scales by DoT and DPE. SNEA was on its toes to ensure that E1A and E2A proposals are rejected by DoT and DPE in 2014. Through agitation, SNEA reconstituted the Joint Committee in 2015. Further we ensured that the Committee is giving a favourable judgment. Our main concern is the pay scales for the 2007, 2008, 2010 and subsequent rects (JTO/JAOs) who are the real sufferers. Their pay scale is not finalised even after 9 years. Any demand for cascading effect for those who got the pay scales notified in 2009 at this point of time when 3^rd PRC is constituted, in the name of E2 and E3 implementation, will be counterproductive and real intension of such demand is derailing E2, E3 scales for the JTO/JAO, SDE/AO cadres. Such demands from any corner will only help management and DoT who want to push the cadres to E1 and E2. Our demand is to get E2, E3 without compromising or surrendering the 5 promotions already we had. The 5 promotions come after lot of struggle by SNEA (TEOA) in 2002. Assns responsibility is to protect the promotions, not to surrender it. Our only focus is to get E2, E3 implemented immediately. If we are successful in getting E2, E3 now, before the 3^rd PRC, it will settle the basic issue of standard pay scales, giving scope for further demand of E2 to E7 subsequently. Once E2, E3 is settled, the pay anomaly of 2007, 2008 etc batches to be taken up to have parity for Rs 22,820.

All promotions, JTO to SDE (seniority & LDCE), SDE to DE/EE, JAO to AO and AO to CAO are under litigations in various courts. We are trying to get favourable orders from the courts by engaging senior lawyers. To come out of the court cases and streamline promotions, CPSU Cadre hierarchy is the only viable alternative. The Joint Committee constituted after our agitation in 2015 given sweeping recommendations and broad guidelines on this issue. The real challenge is to place the executives working in lower grade but in higher scales into the new structure without disturbing the functionally promoted Executives who are in lower scale. For example there are DEs in E4 scale but SDEs in E5 scale. The Joint Committee did not address it, leaving it to the management to decide. All our demands for the last few months like 1) immediate promotions to the next higher grade for the Executives working in higher scales and relaxation for further promotions, 2) uniform date of promotion to avoid anomaly, 3) decentralised DPCs etc are accepted by the management in principle. Time bound promotion to AGM equivalent grade is the major point of contention and challenge before us considering the huge number of Executives eligible for that grade.

Once CPSU hierarchy is resolved, we have to focus on the 3^rd recommendation of first TBP after 4 to 5 years instead of 4 to 6 years w.e.f 01.10.2000.

Superannuation benefit is the social security measure for the BSNL direct rects. For the social security measure, 12% EPF, 4.8% gratuity and medical facility extended from the beginning but 2^nd PRC recommended contribution upto 30% including all. When management offered additional 4% in 2013, 6% in 2015 etc in addition to EPF, gratuity and medical, there was no unanimity among the various stake holders. But finally management gone ahead with just 3%. Only SNEA protested against this betrayal and demanded 6%. On our protest, management agreed to review the contribution once the expenditure on medical is worked out.

UF of BSNL Executive Associations comprising SNEA, AIBSNLEA and AIGETOA served notice on the above three demands. All agreed for the limited demand of E2, E3 without disturbing the 5 promotions, superannuation benefits, CPSU Hierarchy and first TBP. It will be very tough to get the DoT approval even on E2, E3 scales. It will be very tough to get the CPSU hierarchy implemented upto AGM grade. It will be very tough to increase the superannuation contribution to a minimum of 6%. In this difficult situation, strong organizational actions only will lead to the resolution of such issues.

Management is waiting for the completion of membership verification for the settlement of most of the HR issues. Main reason is that there is no unanimity among the various stake holders on important HR issues. Sectional demands forgetting the overall cadre interest are derailing the whole issues. This has been earlier witnessed in E2, E3 pay scales, superannuation benefits etc. Ultimately cadre suffers, individuals suffers. Membership verification is a golden opportunity to dump such sections, encourage democratically functioning Assns. Multiple Assns suits and helps management, not the Executives. The verification is taking place in a crucial time when all our HR issues are under active consideration of the management. Next three years are very crucial for all the Executives as most of the HR issues will be decided by that time including 3^rd PRC. So it is the time for the all the executives to decide which side they are. This is the opportunity to vote for the Unity of Executives.

SNEA all along struggled to defeat any attack on our beloved company. We were in the forefront of all the struggles, mobilising all the employees in the struggles against stopping of ADC, unbundling of copper cables, 45.5 M GSM tender cancellation, disinvestment, tender cancellation, ITS absorption issues, MTNL&BSNL  merger, tower subsidiary formation etc etc and demanding USO fund subsidy, IT refund, procurement of equipments etc. SNEA alone struggled on BWA spectrum refund, 3G roaming etc. To continue the struggle to protect the company, SNEA is to be strengthened further. Our slogan is Strengthen SNEA, Strengthen BSNL.

View Corporate office orders:
Preparatory work for Promotion from SDE Electrical to EE Electrical reg.
DE Request transfer order reg.
SDE Inter circle Transfer order reg.
Clarification regarding Writing APAR.
SDE promotion order under LDCE - One case.