As per the decision taken in the AUAB meeting held yesterday, representatives of the AUAB, viz., Com. Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS/BSNLEU & Convenor, Com.Chandeshwar Singh, GS/NFTE & Chairman, Com. K. Sebastin, GS/SNEA and Com. Prahlad Rai, GS/AIBSNLEA, met Shri Anshu Prakash, Additional Secretary, Telecom, today. The representatives conveyed him the decision of the AUAB meeting held yesterday. They told the Additional Secretary, Telecom, in no uncertain terms that, the employees are unhappy that not much progress is made in the 3rd Pay Revision issue. They also informed him that the AUAB will be compelled to go for the strike, since not much time is left for the Parliament elections. The Additional Secretary, Telecom, informed that he would hold a meeting with the AUAB next week in which crucial discussion would be held in respect of the issue of 3^rd Pay Revision.

As per the decision taken in meeting held yesterday, letter has been written to Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon Minister of State for Communications, by the AUAB, communicating its unhappiness over the delay in the settlement of the 3rd Pay Revision issues. In the letter, the AUAB has stated that it would be compelled to go on strike, if no positive outcome comes on the issue, soon.

Time is running out and strike will become unavoidable - AUAB meeting decides to inform the government.

A meeting of the AUAB was held yesterday. General Secretaries / Representatives of BSNLEU, NFTE, SNEA, AIBSNLEA, AIGETOA, BSNL MS and BSNL OA were present in the meeting. The meeting reviewed the progress in the settlement of the demands of the AUAB. The meeting assessed that reasonable progress is made on the demands of 4G spectrum and payment of pension contribution on actual basic pay. However, the meeting came to the conclusion that, no substantial progress has come on the issues of 3rd Pay Revision and Pension Revision. The meeting also came to the assessment that the time available for the settlement of demands is only upto February, 2019 and that the announcement for Parliament elections may come any time in March, 2019. In view of the above reasons, the meeting decided to convey to the Government that, the AUAB would be compelled to go for the strike. The meeting also decided that the AUAB should meet the Additional Secretary, Telecom, in person, and communicate this.

Meeting with Shri Anupam Shrivastava, CMD/BSNL on 15.01.2019: GS and both AGSs met CMD/BSNL and held discussions on JTO to SDE and SDE to DE promotions. CMD expressed his displeasure over the contempt cases going on after issuing so many promotions in shortest time as demanded by the Associations. Association once again thanked CMD and BSNL management for the promotions and requested to consider JTO to SDE promotions for which the preparatory work is completed. Thousands of JTOs are waiting for promotion for years together for which vacancies are available and the innocent JTOs should not be punished for that, Assn pleaded.

On DE to DGM promotions also, more than 2/3^rd posts are vacant and very senior officers are waiting for promotion. Un necessarily, The promotions are stalled on technical grounds, citing seniority list whereas same list was operated in 2016 and 2017 for DGM promotions.

CMD assured to discuss with DIR(HR) and sort out the issues at the earliest.  

Parliament March by NCOA, AIPCOC and AIBOC on 04.02.2019:

The National Executive Committee meeting of NCOA & AIPCOC held at Goa on 07th and 08th December, 2018 decided to conduct Parliament March during Parliament session. It is decided by NCOA, AIPCOC and AIBCOC to conduct the March on 04.02.2019 at 11 am during Budget session of Parliament. About 15,000 Officers/Executives from all the sectors, Banking, Telecom, Oil, Power, Insurance, Central Govt Officers etc are expected to participate in the March.

The main demands are:

1. Remove affordability clause for Pay Revision in CPSUs.

2. Allot 4G spectrum to BSNL & MTNL and support all the CPSUs.

3. Stop all moves towards Privatization /Disinvestment of CPSUs.

4. Ensure Assured Pension for all.

All the CSs are requested to bring maximum members for the Parliament March on 04.02.2019. Make the reservations accordingly.

Meeting between CMD BSNL and the AUAB on 3rd Pay Revision issue.

In the meeting held on 10.01.2019, the Additional Secretary, Telecom, directed the AUAB to hold a discussion with the BSNL Management on the 3rd Pay Revision issue, and to come back to him for a meeting in the following week. Accordingly, a meeting took place between the AUAB and the CMD BSNL today. The Director (HR) was also present in the meeting. From the AUAB, Com P. Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU & Convenor, Com Chandeshwar Singh, GS/NFTE & Chairman, Com K.Sebastin, GS/SNEA, Com Prahlad Rai, GS/AIBSNLEA, Com Ravi Shil Verma, GS/AIGETOA, Com. Suresh Kumar, GS/BSNL MS, Com. Rewati Prasad, AGS/ATM and Com H. P. Singh, Dy.GS/BSNL OA were present. Discussion took place on the issue of 3rd Pay Revision. The AUAB representatives categorically demanded that 3rd Pay Revision should be settled with 15% fitment. The CMD BSNL also stated that the BSNL Management sticks on to its earlier position that 3rd Pay Revision should be settled with 15% fitment. The AUAB pointed out that the notification for Parliament election would be issued any time in the month of March, and that the available time for the settlement of 3rd Pay Revision was very less. The representatives also pointed out that the AUAB would be constrained to restart the agitation, if no favourable settlement comes on time.

AUAB reminded about the issuing the minutes of the meeting with CMD in which 3% hike in Superannuation benefits assured, which DIR(HR) agreed to issue immediately.

100% Executives of Ghazipur SSA, UP(East)  Circle become members of SNEA. Ghazipur dist is the constituency of Hon MoSC. Congratulations to DS/Ghazipur and CS/UP(E) Circle for this milestone.

Meeting with GM(Pers), GM(SR) and DGM(Pers):

GS, President, AGSs Com P P Rao and Com Sanjeev Sharama, Jt Sec Com Sumit Saxena, CS/BSNLCO Com G K Das and CS/UP(W) Com R P Sharma met Shri Arun Kumar, new GM(Pers) on 14.01.19 and held discussions on JTO to SDE and DE to DGM promotions.

Later on we met DGM(Pers) and held further discussions on promotions.

BSNL sought the legal advice from ASG on OWN MERIT, in reservation. AGS reply is expected by this week.

On DE to DGM promotion, the demand for publishing the provisional seniority list is under examination. Review DPC as per 206 is not formally completed to publish the seniority list.

In a sudden move, BSNL transferred GM(Pers) and DGM(Pers) last week immediately after the developments on contempt petition in Kerala. Top management is upset with the developments after so many promotions.

In the evening GS, AGSs Com P P Rao and Com Sanjeev Sharama and Jt Sec Com Sumit Saxena met GM(SR) and held further discussions on DE to DGM promotions.

Com Sumit Saxena, Jt Sec will be available at CHQ for few days.

Join SNEA, Strengthen SNEA and Strengthen Executives Unity to settle the pending issues of BSNL Executives:

Strengthen SNEA for the Revival of BSNL.

Strengthen AUAB by joining SNEA, one of strong constituent of AUAB to settle 30% Superannuation benefits and 3rd PRC.

Strengthen SNEA to settle E2, E3 pay scales. The court cases at Chandigarh and the contempt petition lead to hurriedly notifying lower pay scales of E1 and E2 by DoT. SNEA is committed to reverse the DoT decision and working for that.

Strengthen SNEA for the promotions in all the cadres, parity in promotions, uniform promotion avenues and for Time Bound Functional promotion for all.

The court cases complicated and delaying the promotions, SNEA is trying to remove the hurdles one by one.

Strengthen SNEA for your Social Security and implementation of Group Term Insurance (GTI).

Strengthen SNEA for the settlement of other issues, through continuous persuasion.

All SSA/Branch/Circle Secretaries and office bearers are requested to ensure enrolment of maximum membership. Till tomorrow, 15.01.2019, new members and changes in membership can be done.

 Meeting of the Committee for Periodic Interaction and meeting between the AUAB and the Additional Secretary.

A meeting of the Committee for Periodic Interaction (Institutional Mechanism) was held in the Sanchar Bhawan on 10-01-2019. From the AUAB, Com.P.Abhimanyu, GS/BSNLEU & Convenor, Com.Chandeswar Singh, GS/NFTE & Chairman, Com.K.Sebastin,  GS/SNEA and Com.Prahlad Rai, GS/AIBSLEA participated. Shri.R.K.Khandelwal, Joint Secretary(Admn.) Shri S.K.Jain, DDG(Estt.), Sri Rajeev Sing, DDG(Budget)  and officers participated from the DoT. Shri.P.K.Sinha, Advisor(Finance), DoT, who is a member of the Committee did not participate attend as he is on tour. Ms.Sujata Ray, Director(HR) and ShriA.M.Gupta, GM(SR) represented the BSNL.

It may be remembered that the AUAB strongly demanded that this Committee should be chaired by the Additional Secretary and that no result would be achieved if it is presided over by the Joint Secretary level officer. Whatever we predicted has proved to be correct. The Joint Secretary(Admn.) and the DDG(Estt.) were not able to give any worthwhile information about the status of the issues, viz., 3rd Pay Revision, Allotment of 4G spectrum, Payment of Pension Contribution on actual basic pay and Pension Revision. Both the officers are completely negative on our issues. No worth mentioning outcome came from this meeting.

Hence, after this meeting, the AUAB leaders went and met Shri Anshu Prakash, Additional Secretary and expressed their total dissatisfaction about the outcome of the meeting. Shri R.K.Khandelwal, Joint Secretary (Admn.), Ms.Sujata Ray, Director (HR) and Shri A.M.Gupta, GM(SR) were also present. Thereafter, full fledged discussion took place with the Additional Secretary on our demands.

3rd Pay Revision

Detailed discussion took place. The Additional Secretary told that the DoT is ready to settle the 3rd Pay Revision. But, he categorically told that it will be very difficult for the DoT to get the approval of the Cabinet for 15% fitment, since BSNL’s financial position does not allow payment of such high salary. He requested the AUAB and the BSNL Management to discuss and come back to him by next week with a workable solution which can be convincing to other ministries also. DIR(HR) informed that she will start negotiation with AUAB immediately.

4G spectrum to BSNL.

As regards the allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL, the Additional Secretary confidently told that the DoT would do it’s best to get the Cabinet approval for the allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL. He expressed hope that the Telecom Commission meeting to be held in the 1st week of February would give the necessary clearance, after which it would go for the Cabinet approval. Reservation on the part of Niti Ayog and Dept of Expenditure will be sorted out in the Telecom Commission meeting with the support of the recommendation of the consultant, IIM Ahmedabad. BSNL response on IIM report will be submitted by Monday and thereafter it will be processed to discuss in TC meeting.

Payment of Pension Contribution on actual basic pay.

As regards the issue of Payment of Pension Contribution on actual basic pay, the Additional Secretary told that the Department of Expenditure (DoE) has sought certain details and that the DoT has already written to the BSNL in this regard. The Director (HR) replied that within 1 or 2 days, BSNL would send a reply to the DoT. The Additional Secretary assured that thereafter prompt action would be taken to get the approval of the DoE.

Pension Revision.

On this issue, the AUAB representatives expressed their dissatisfaction and demanded that prompt action should be taken by the DoT. Thereafter, detailed discussion took place with regards to the fitment, etc. Finally, the Additional Secretary requested the Director(HR) to provide with copies of relevant documents like Government orders related to payment of Pension to the BSNL employees, etc.

Outstanding issues of 2nd PRC.

On this DIR(HR) informed that there are two parts, one pertaining to BSNL and the other one pending with DoT. DIR(HR) informed that an understanding has been reached between AUAB and the CMD BSNL in respect of increasing the contribution towards Superannuation Benefits. She also assured that a record of discussion would be issued for the meeting held on 02.12.2018 between CMD BSNL and the AUAB.

On the second issue of approval of E2 and E3 pay scales, DIR(HR) told that DoT issued PO by lowering the pay scales to E1 and E2, degrading the cadres which BSNL is not agreeing. It is to be reviewed as requested by BSNL.  

GS explained the matter further and requested for early settlement. In the last meeting on 03.12.2018, Hon Minister agreed to reconsider the DoT decision and assured early action as it can be decided within DoT. AST finally told directed Director(PSU) to process the case and brief him on the subject.

At the end of the meeting, the Additional Secretary suggested that the AUAB representatives could again meet him next week.

On 10.01.2019, AGS Com P. Padmanabha Rao, CHQ Treasurer Com R. Rajan and Jt Sec(S) Com A. Chandrasekhar met GM(BW) Sri. A. D.P. Keshri & GM(LD) Sri. D. K. Shinghal and  discussed land management, about discrepancies in the SDE(C) Seniority list, publication of year wise vacancies, Seniority list of JTO(C). GM(BW) assured to settle the issues within BW Unit based on individual representations received. If any legal issues arise, they will be sent to legal for clarification and will be placed accordingly. Regarding JTO(C) seniority, provisional seniority list is under preparation, for the approval of the competent authority. Around 205 JTO(C) data is available for the preparation of the seniority list. We also discussed about promotions of JTO(C) to SDE (C), SDE(C) to EE (C) & SE(C). Administration is trying to settle the seniority related issues and afterwards promotions will be issued for the availability vacancies.

Land Management issue discussed with GM(LD) and he informed that a draft on Land Management policy for BSNL has been submitted to DoT for approval. He also informed that with this Land Management, within three years span, there is a possibility of generating Rs. 8,000/-Cr per Annum as revenue to BSNL. This will become major source of income for BSNL revival. Leasing of open lands, extending leasing period upto 30 years under the purview of BSNL are notable points in the policy.