Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Oct. 29 :The All Union and Association of BSNL (AUAB) for NE-II telecom circle has informed that they will be undertaking a ‘dharna’ in Dimapur on Tue. Oct. 30 as a token of protest for what they said was the central government not ‘implementing assurances,’ stated to have been given by the minister of state for Communications (MSC) Manoj Sinhaji.
Addressing a press conference at the chief general manager of telecom (CGMT) NE-II telecom circle, in Dimapur on Mon. Oct. 29, the organisation’s convenor Sukhai Sema said: ‘In a meeting held with the AUAB on Feb. 24 2018, Sinhaji has assured to address the BSNL employees issues on 3rd pay revision with effect from Jan. 1 2017, allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL, payment of pension contribution on the actual basis pay and pension revision settlement of superannuation benefits to the directly recruited employees.’
However, Sema maintained that the department of Telecommunications, which was reportedly supposed to take action to implement the assurances given by the Minster of State for Communications had not taken any action for the past eight months.
He lamented that by delaying the implementation, the department was denying justice to workers including retired employees.
The AUAB has threatened that if their demands are not addressed after the ‘dharna’ scheduled on Oct. 30, the association shall resort to rallies at the circle and district levels on Nov. 14. It also threatened to mobilise employees for further ‘serious struggles, including strike, if the demands are not settled’ by Nov. 30 2018.
The key demands as listed out by the AUAB are: 3rd pay revision with effect from Jan 1 2017, allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL, payment of pension contribution on actual basic pay, pension revision to BSNL retirees and non-implementation of the recommendation of the 2nd PRC, in respect of 30% superannuation benefit to BSNL’s directly recruited employees.’
According to Sema, the failure to implement the 3rd pay revision has demoralised the employees and would affect productivity and impact the revival of the BSNL.
Therefore, the AUAB has demanded that the BSNL be exempted from the affordability clause of 3rd PRC and that the employees should be given the pay revision with effect from January 1 2017, with 15% fitment, as recommended by the BSNL board.
In regard to the allotment of the 4G spectrum to the BSNL, the AUAB asserted that the BSNL management had submitted a detailed proposal to the govt. of India for allotment. According to the proposal, 50% of the cost was to be borne by the BSNL, and the remaining 50% of the cost was to be adjusted through capital infusion by the govt.
However, they alleged that even after eight months no step has been taken for implementation as assured by Sinhaji and the govt. was deliberately delaying to push the private operators.
The AUAB has demanded that the central government settle the issue without further delay and to implement the assurances that were given to the AUAB.
