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OPPOSITION TO CURTAILMENT OF MEDICAL CAREBoth BSNLEU and NFTE-BSNL have written to BSNL Management expressing strong opposition to the proposal to curtail medical facilities to BSNL staff and BSNL retirees.
Patiala District branch held its conference on 1-3-2018. Com. Atma Ram Verma (All India Org. Secretary) and Com. G S Bajwa (CS PB) participated.
2 Photos
A Note by Com. DG again:
We once again reiterate that we are not interested in polemics and we are not against the unity of workers and pensioners.Everyone knows that the demands and interest of workers and pensioners are different.The seasoned leader avoided answers to some of our points and the pensioners and leaders who read both the postings would understand them.So, we are not willing to raise any controversy between the organizations.
But, the core issue for DoT absorbed BSNL pensioners is revision of pension from 1/1/2017.Let us concentrate on this issue.The doubts raised by the seasoned leader and our reply:
Doubt - Point 5 – Let us assume that the Govt. accepts pension revision of BSNL retirees on the basis of VII CPC CDA scales instead of III PRC IDA scales.From which date it will be implemented from 2016 or 2017?
Reply – (i) Pension revision is not on the basis of CDA or IDA scales.It is determined on the basis of existing pension plus DR plus weightage benefit.(ii) Our simple demand is that the pension plus DR plus weightage suggested by 7th CPC should be given to BSNL IDA pensioners.(iii) Since last pension revision was given in 2007 we demand it from 2017.
Doubt – Point 6 – Discrimination/Anomaly –
Reply - It is on the wrong presumption or understanding that we demand CDA pension revision and they demand IDA pension revision and hence there is confusion of discrimination, anomaly etc.However if our demand is conceded and if the pay revision is not commensurate with that pension revision, anomaly may arise but to solve that anomaly we have some ideas.
Doubt – Point 7 – Again unnecessary doubt - Either our demand is not understood correctly or with a view to confuse the pensioners.
Reply – After the 6th CPC recommendations, the department had its own confusion about its applicability to BSNL pensioners.There was OM issued by DoP&PW on 19/9/2003 which says notional conversion from IDA to CDA and then implement the recommendation.DoT wanted to implement it and another agency also agreed with that.But DoP&PW which issued that OM differed because of the Apex court judgement, we referred earlier.So, there is no possibility of notional conversion from IDA to CDA as threatened by the seasoned leader.
Doubt – Point 8 – Now they say that it is only the fitment factor that they have demanded.How is the fitment calculated?It is on the basis of calculating the fitment factor based on the price index for the CDA.
Reply – From the beginning our demand was “Implement Same fitment formula suggested by 7th CPC” and it is not our latest demand.We are surprised to know that fitment factor is based on price index for the CDA.7th CPC has gone into the concept of minimum wage and arrived at a figure.One of its recommendations was multiply the existing pay/pension by 2.57.That was arrived at with pay plus DA/DR plus 32% of basic pay/pension.We are aware the index and methodology of CDA & IDA are different but the fact remains that Central Dearness Allowance is more beneficial than Industrial Dearness Allowance.Because of that factor, FCI/VSNL pensioners wanted pension on IDA and DR on CDA which was rejected by the Supreme Court which said that both can only be on IDA.We are aware about CCS (Pension) Rules 1972 and particularly 37-A.It is a statutory one.Sub-rule 10 speaks about industrial DA only. We want that statutory protection should remain.With the existing frame of mind, bureaucracy on its own may not take a positive decision and we are trying our best to interpret the rules and orders in favour of pensioners.We want other organizations also to join for pushing it fast and if that is not possible let them not play atleast spoiling game.
According to the seasoned leader’s posting on 2/3/2018 their demand is “on the basis of III PRC, pension revision should be ordered with 15% fitment, without waiting for the wage revision…….will not create the large number of serious anomalies”.
- i) No terms of reference for III PRC for pension revision and naturally no recommendation also. The recommendation is for pay revision with 3 fitment formula depending upon the profit of concerned PSU.
- ii) For argument-sake if that demand is conceded by the Govt. will not create anomaly between pre-2017 retirees and post-2017 retirees? Because the demand is without waiting for wage revision.
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Warangal in Telangana branch held its district conference on 28-2-2018. Comrades G Natarajan, T S Vittoban, V V S Murthy, K S Koteswara Rao, Narasimha Rao (DS HYD), Chandrasekar (DS KHM), Upender, Yellaiah and others attended and addressed it.
Com. Somanath, Com. Viswandham and Com. Yellaiah are elected as President, DS and Treasurer of the district branch.
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BSNL proposes to stop payment of Quarterly medical allowance with effect from 1-4-2018 in CGHS covered cities and also to reduce yearly eligibility limit for outdoor treatment.
BSNL has written a letter to the recognised Unions. mrs-stoppage.jpg
One veteran Telecom Trade union leader has posted a matter in his blog on 26/2/2018.We are not interested in polemics but we have to put the records straight to avoid any confusion among the pensioners and leaders.
Point 1 Let us understand that there was no pay revision in 2000.It was only a conversion from CDA pattern to IDA pattern.It was a legal requirement.A three judge division bench of the Apex Court delivered a judgement on 3/5/1990 and based on the judgement, DPE issued OM dated 12/6/1990.Para 3 of that OM states that “All appointments made on or after 1/1/1989 in respect of all categories of employees of PSEs would be deemed to have been governed by the IDA pay scales and IDA. Appropriate pay scales on the IDA patterns for employees appointed on or after 1/1/1989 may be formulated by the PSEs concerned, in consultation with the administrative ministry and referred to DPE for approval.DPE vide its OM dated 10/8/2009 reiterated and emphasized that appointments including promotion on or after 1/1/1989 in CDA scales of pay have to be in IDA scales of pay.
Point 2 Wage revision for executives in BSNL in 2007 was on the basis of 2nd PRC report and for non-executives, on the basis bilateral agreement signed on 7/5/2010 and order issued on the same date.But pension revision order was issued only on 15/3/2011.Infact DDG (Estt.) wrote a note to DoT finance stating that “revised pay scales are only applicable to those who were still in service as on 1/1/2007.There is no impact on the pensioners who retired before 1/1/2007 on account of revised pay scales.There is no scheme for BSNL with reference to revision of IDA pensioners retired before 1/1/2007”.We have published enough material date-wise in our journals about our efforts to get the pension revision and we need not repeat it here.
Point 3 Forum leaders met then Secretary (T) Shri R.K.Garg on 1/5/2015 and discussed 10 items and 78.2 was the 7th item.Break through for annulment of 60:40 did not happen on that day but break through was achieved by us during our discussion on 24/3/2015 and 26/3/2015 (in between on 25/3/2015 there was an internal discussion in DoT).On 26/3/2015 Secretary (T) and Member(F) assured that a revised cabinet note annulling 60:40 would be prepared and circulated within 15 days.Accordingly Establishment section of DoT prepared the revised cabinet note annulling 60:40 on 30/3/2015 and sent to DoT finance.This was possible because of the direct intervention of Shri Ananthkumar, Hon. Minister.It is also a fact that this veteran trade union leader met Secretary (T) Shri R.K.Garg on 26/10/2015 and told that annulment of 60:40 has to be dealt separately and the issue of extending the benefit of 78.2% IDA merger to BSNL pensioners retired before 10/6/2013 has to be delinked from it.We know success has many fathers.
Point 4 We are aware that Service Unions/Associations sole objective is to protect the interest of serving employees/officers.They do not have time to go into deep study of pensioners’ problems and suggest a proper solution.It is but natural.The same veteranleader gave an item for discussion in the National Council for revision of medical allowance with pension (instead of pay) plus every April DA and the management advised him to withdraw that item because that is against the interest of pensioners (in this write-up of 26/2/2018 he has mentioned medical advance instead of medical allowance).To settle 78.2% IDA merger for pensioners retired after 1/1/2007 one Association’s GS suggested one day salary arrears for those who retired between 1/1/2007 & 9/6/2013 and GS of one Union suggested last one month salary.We did not have such confusions.That is why we suggested that let them concentrate on pay revision seriously.
Point 5 We are not against struggles and we have conducted several struggles to achieve our demand.We have even supported the recent united strike organized by all the Unions/Associations.
Point 6 The veteran leader and his association wanted pension revision along with pay revision of BSNL employees.His successor in the union has demanded delinking pension revision from BSNL pay revision. Now Pay revision is not taking place and this leader wants pension revision at 15% of pay plus DA which works out to 32.925% of basic pension (we are demanding 32% of basic pension).From where this 15% theory comes?It is based on 3rd PRC report.That report not only mentions 15% but also 10% & 5%.But it is all for serving employees and not for pensioners.The dictum of Marxism says “Everything will change except the law of change”.We stop with that.We are pretty well aware that today’s pensioners were yesterday’s workers and that today’s workers are tomorrow’s pensioners.Keeping in view the interest of yesterday’s workers and today’s workers only we have demanded 7th CPC pension revision formula as a permanent solution to pension revision..First let there be unity among pensioners’ organizations in BSNL.We have made sincere efforts for that from our side but there is no response from that side.Let us unite on common demand of pensioners and move forward.
... ... ... ...................................................................... D Gopalakrishnan
About the pension revision in BSNL for the absorbed employees we have clear understanding. Our demand is that our IDA pension should be revised in IDA pattern itself (not CDA pattern) with fitment benefit suggested by VII CPC. But some people are talking about going back to CDA scales. We did not demand it. We know that there is a judgement from Supreme Court of India that all PSUs that came into existence after that judgment in 1989 should follow IDA pattern only. BSNL came into existence in 2000. Hence even if Government or DoT wants to revert back to CDA scales it is not permissible. Perhaps these friends have not seen that judgement.
These friends smell a black cat in the dark room. Afraid, they sit with a stick in their hands.
They have a closed mind. They are blind to truth.
These friends state in their website that DoT pensioners got pension revision in 2006 six years after IDA pension revision in 2000. Was there any pension revision in 2000? No. DoT pensioners got pension revision in 1996. Then they got pension revision in 2006, after ten years and again in 2016 after another ten years. Every DoT pensioner knows it. But these friends do not understand that. We feel pity for their wonderful understanding capacity. With such wrong understanding they approach the government with demands. Bad lawyers will spoil the case.
Some of these leaders were talking that if BSNL Pensioners are given pension revision with effect from 2017 and the BSNL serving staff is not given pay revision there will be anomaly. Now they want pension revision from 2017 delinking from pay revision. Suppose pension is revised and pay is not revised as they hope? Again there will be anomaly. Have they thought of that?
They should open their mind. They should open their eyes. They should light a lamp and see that there is no black cat in the dark room they are sitting.
The demand should be:
Pension should be revised in IDA pattern itself with fitment benefit granted by government to the central service pensioners vide DoP&PW orders issued in August 2016 which state: “these orders are applicable to all pensioners and family pensioners covered under CCS (Pension) Rule, 1972.” It does not talk about CDA pattern or IDA pattern. It talks about CCS Pension Rule 1972 only. BSNL pensioners are also covered by the said rule. So we should get the relief under the said orders of August 2016
BSNL Pensioners are now eligible to Rs 20 lakhs (maximum) as gratuity in IDA pattern itself. That is as per VII CPC report. There was no going back to CDA pattern for that.
So, Dear friends, please do not oppose us for sake of opposition. Let us fight for the present pensioners and future pensioners. DO NOT fight between us.
Think of your own members.Think of those in service and will be retiring before 2027. They should also get pension revision along with other central government pensioners. Linking with CPC formulae will be the best option.
SO, CHANGE YOUR MINDSET. Do not confuse yourself again and again.
We are happy that the AUAB (All Unions and Associations of BSNL staff) had some discussion with Communications Minister yesterday and during the talks they raised the demand for Pension Revision also. The Note released by AUAB after the discussion says:
“ the representatives of AUAB strongly argued that the pension revision should be done to the BSNL pensioners. It was pointed out that the BSNL pensioners and the Central Government pensioners are covered by same rules.They argued that when pension revision is settled for central Govt pensioners, the same should not be denied to the BSNL pensioners. The Hon’ble Minister assured that needful action would be taken to settle this issue, and directed the Secretary to take necessary action.”
Question is what demand they placed on methodology for pension revision? Some of these leaders were asking fitment formula suggested by PRC.Somebody else wanted CPC formula.Some others did not specify.However, it is a welcome feature that all of them want delinking pension revision from pay revision.
We think of future. What will happen after ten years? By that time all the absorbee members of these Unions will retire from service. They should also get pension revision in 2026 or 2027. Tower Company has already come.Government may not roll it back.What will be fate of BSNL during the next ten years? Will it be possible to look at pay revision in BSNL or Tower Company at that time?
So, reading the writings on the wall, we took a conscious stand and demanded pension revision along with central government pensioners with the same methodology, based on formula suggested by Central Pay Commissions in future. That only will ensure a guaranteed system for pension revision for us, for the members of these service unions in BSNL also.
We shall continue our efforts.
On 21-2-2018 the DOT sent a letter to CMD of BSNL rejecting the demands for Pay Revision and pension Revision.
Today, on 23-2-2018, the DoT has withdrawn that letter. Good.
The Minister for Communications will meet leaders of BSNL staff Unions tomorrow, 24-2-2018.
We congratulate the Staff Unions. United action has compelled the government to come down.
We hope that the Staff Union leaders will tell the honourable Minister that pension revision of BSNL retirees is the sole responsibility of the Government of India and it should not be linked with affordability of BSNL Company. We wish them success.
Such a strong stand by staff unions will help the elders.
DoT has clarified that it is not implementing any 13 digit numbering system for public mobiles.
THEY GOT PAY REVISION AND PENSION REVISION BOTH REJECTED....
As you know, the Staff Unions earlier demanded Pension Revision in BSNL with the same fitment benefit as being granted to the serving staff without considering the fact that pension has to be revised by the Government and pay has to be revised by BSNL company. Some of them changed their stand later on. Such leaders demanded de-linking pay revision and pension revision. It was a welcome change. But, at the same time they wanted pension revision with 15% fitment benefit proposed by PRC. These leaders have been creating confusion time and again.
Now, when these unions are organising a March to Sanchar Bhavan tomorrow, the DoT has rejected their demands.
Pension Revision:: DoT says that it can be taken up as and when Third PRC Report is implemented in BSNL.
PRC REPORT on Pay Revision: DoT says that as per PRC report BSNL is not covered for the fitment benefits due to heavy loss the company incurs.
Loss: DoT points out the loss as:
2013-2014: Rs. 7124 crore
2014-2015: Rs. 8843 crore
2015-2016: Rs. 4169 crore
2016-2017: Rs. 4793 crore
IN EFFECT, THE GOVERNMENT HAS REJECTED BOTH PAY REVISION AND PENSION REVISION.
We request the respected leaders of Service Unions to fight for their pay Revision and leave the issue of Pension Revision. Our task has become much for difficult now. But, we are determined to continue our efforts vigorously.
Our Demand is crystal clear. Government should revise our pension independently and delinking from the affordability of BSNL company. DoT should take a decision about Pension Revision.
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13 DIGIT MOBILE NUMBERS
All these times, people were worried when they received calls from 13 digit mobile numbers. Many thought it was fake calls. Some countries had already introduced 13 digit mobile numbering system.
Now, DoT has decided, as reported, to introduce 13 digit mobile numbering in India from July 2018. I feel that some private companies like Reliance may get advantage. Such companies are taking policy decisions. Let us wait and see.
BSNL letter on 13 digit numbering
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BANGALORE EMERGING
BANGALORE DISTRICT BRANCH HAS MORE THAN 2000 LIFE MEMBERS NOW. THE DISTRICT UNIT HAS EMERGED AS THE BIGGEST DISTRICT UNIT OF OUR ASSOCIATION IN THE COUNTRY.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEMATIC, HOUSE-TO- HOUSE CAMPAIGN CONDUCTED BY OUR TEAM LEADERS IN BENGALURU.
CONGRATULATIONS.
Karnataka Circle Conference was held in RTTC auditorium, Mysore on 11-2-2018 in a grand manner. More than 400 comrades from all parts of the Circle attended it.
Comrades P S Ramankutty, D Gopalakrishnan, G Natarajan, T S Vittoban and V Rama Rao participated in the conference on behalf of CHQ in addition to Com. G Babu (VP), Com. P Gangadhara Rao (DGS) and Com. K G Deshpande (OS) who hail from Karnataka Circle. Com. Varaprasad, Circle Secretary of AP circle also attended it. Shri K L Jairam, PGMT, Mysore addressed the Open Session.
Com. P Gangadhara Rao and Com. R Changappa are re elected as
Circle President and Circle Secretary.
Com. S Ganeshan is the new Treasurer.
IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT COM R.K.SRIVASTAVA , PRESIDENT, AIRBSNLPWA
HAD PASSED AWAY ON 8-2-18 AT FARIDABAD. HE WAS OUR GOOD FRIEND
WE EXPRESS OUR HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE LOST HIM
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FOR SOME TIME PAST, ALL UNIONS OF BSNL STAFF HAVE BEEN JOINTLY TRYING TO MEET THE MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS, SHRI MANOJ SINHA TO BRING THE SERIOUS ISSUE OF PAY REVISION TO HIS NOTICE. BUT, IT SEEMS THE MINISTER IS NOT INCLINED TO MEET THE STAFF LEADERS.
FINALLY, THE UNIONS WERE ASSURED A MEETING WITH SHRI MANOJ SINHA ON 5-2-2018 EVENING THROUGH SHRI JUAL ORA, THE MINISTER FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS. UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE.
The Chandigarh bench of CAT has ordered on 5-2-02018, that Extra Increment should be reckoned as pay for grant of Pension. Accordingly the Department of Telecom is directed to re-fix pension of those who were not given the benefit of said Ex Increment.
The Judgement is attached here.extra-incr.-chandigarh-cat.pdf
Our Ajmer District Secretary (Rajasthan) reports that Com. S L Azad, a devoted comrade of Ajmer expired on 3-2-2018. We convey our heartfelt condolence on his demise.
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Reacting to our posting of yesterday and day before, regarding life membership in Bangalore etc, Com. Narasimhan, District Secretary of Hyderabad intimated us that the life membership in Hyderabad District is now 1595 and it will cross 1600 very soon. It is another inspiring news. We have Madurai in Tamilnadu with the highest membership in the entire country. Madurai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ernakulam are the four major branches with more than 1500 membership.
It is not just competition. The growth reflects dedicated work by our active leaders and the confidence of BSNL pensioners in a vibrant organization, vigorously pursing the issues of pensioners.
Today, I have received a list of 64 life members from Bangalore. So far I received 1606 names of life Members from Bangalore city itself. Bangalore stands first in the country with highest number of Life members. Congratulations.
There is great improvement of Life membership in Bijapur, Hubli, Kolar, Mangalore, Shimoga and Tumkur Districts also.
... ... ... P S Ramankutty, 5-2-2018