ALL
UNIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS OF BSNL
No:
UA/2017/6
05.02.2018
To,
Shri
Manoj Sinha ji,
Hon’ble
Minster of State
for
Communications,
Sanchar
Bhawan,
New
Delhi – 110 001
Respected
Sir,
Sub: - Submission of memorandum on burning issues of BSNL employees – reg.
We,
the Unions and Associations of BSNL, most respectfully bring the
following issues to your kind notice, for favour of an early
settlement.
-
3rd Pay Revision w.e.f. 01.01.2017.
The
employees of BSNL are very much demoralised due to the denial of the
3rd
Pay Revision, w.e.f. 01.01.2017. As per the ‘Affordability Clause’
of the 3rd
Pay Revision Committee, the employees of BSNL are not entitled for
wage revision, since the Company has not earned profit during the 3
preceding years. It is a known fact that, BSNL was not allowed by
erstwhile government, to procure equipments for it’s network
expansion, from 2007 to 2012. This is the main reason why BSNL went
into loss. In his interview to the CNBC-TV18 on 28.02.2015, Shri Ravi
Shankar Prasad ji, the then Hon’ble Minister of Communications &
IT, told, “Both
BSNL and MTNL were in profit by the year 2005-2006, thousands and
thousands of crore. What happened in the subsequent years that they
have come under such a critical state? Something which I can openly
tell you today that every attempt was made that they are not allowed
to expand.” This
is the real fact behind BSNL’s going into loss.
However,
the situation has totally changed now. From the year 2013 onwards,
BSNL has made considerable expansion of it’s mobile networks.
Together with this, the Non-Executives and Executives are also
putting in extraordinary efforts, to increase the revenue of the
Company. They have conducted very successful movements like “Customer
Delight Year”,
“Service
With A Smile”,
etc., to improve the quality of the services as well as to increase
the
customer-base and the
revenue of the Company. As a result of the combined efforts taken by
the Management and the employees, BSNL’s revenue, as well as
customer-base,
have increased considerably. For example, BSNL’s loss stood at
Rs.8,234 crore in 2014–15, whereas it has come down to Rs.3,880
crore in 2015–16. BSNL has made operational profits of Rs.672
Cr and Rs.3,854
Cr respectively,
in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
The Company has also advanced from 6th
position to the 4th
position, in terms of market share.
Everyone
agrees that BSNL is steadily moving in the revival path. However,
non-implementation of 3rd
pay
revision has
demoralised
the employees
and it
will
seriously affect the productivity as
well as the revival
of the BSNL.
It is also worth mentioning that the BSNL’s Board of Directors have
passed resolution in favour of settlement of 3rd
Pay Revision to the employees with 15% fitment benefit, and without
any financial assistance from the government.
Considering
all the above factors, we request that BSNL should be exempted from
the Affordability Clause of the 3rd PRC, and that the employees
should be given 3rd
pay revision w.e.f. 01.01.2017,
with 15% fitment.
-
Abandon the move to form the Subsidiary Tower Company.
The
decision of the government to form a Subsidiary Tower Company has
shocked the entire BSNL employees. The hiving off of BSNL’s 66,000
mobile towers to the Subsidiary Tower Company, will certainly
jeopardise the future of BSNL and it’s employees. The decision of
the Union Cabinet that the Subsidiary Tower Company would be under
the control of BSNL Management, has been violated with the
appointment of an IAS officer as the CMD of the Subsidiary Tower
Company. The formation of the Subsidiary Tower Company is nothing but
the deprivation of it’s towers from BSNL. The unions and
associations view that formation of the Subsidiary Tower Company will
ultimately culminate into it’s privatisation, and thereby ruining
the future of BSNL. The entire employees and their unions and
associations of BSNL vehemently oppose the formation of the
Subsidiary Tower Company and request the government to roll back the
same.
-
Pension Contribution should be on the actual basic pay and not on the maximum of the pay scale.
As
per the recommendations of the 6th Central Pay Commission, pension
contribution is being collected for the entire Central Government
Employees, based on their basic pay (Pay in the Pay Band plus Grade
Pay) only, as per the provisions of FR 116. This is implemented
w.e.f. 01.01.2006 as per DOP&T
Order No. 2/34/2008-Estt. (Pay II) dated 19.11.2009.
Whereas, in the case of the DoT employees who are absorbed in BSNL,
still pension contribution is being collected based on the maximum of
their pay
scale.
As a result of this, BSNL is paying around Rs.400 crore in excess to
the government every year. On retirement, both the Central Government
employees, as well as the DoT employees absorbed in BSNL, are
eligible for the same government pension and pension is 50% of the
last pay drawn. When
this being fact, pension contribution for the DoT employees absorbed
in BSNL is collected on the maximum of the pay scale, whereas the
same is collected based on the basic pay of the other Central
Government employees. This is a very serious discrimination. It is
causing a very big financial burden for BSNL. It has also placed a
substantial number of BSNL’s employees in the problem of
stagnation. Hence, it is requested that the Pension Contribution
being collected from BSNL should be calculated on the basis of actual
basic pay of the employees and not on the maximum of the pay scale of
the employees.
-
Non-implementation of the recommendation of the 2nd PRC, in respect of 30% superannuation benefit to BSNL’s Directly Recruited Employees.
The
2nd
PRC has recommended that PSUs should implement 30% superannuation
benefits to it’s employees. It is a matter of regret that BSNL has
so far not implemented this recommendation of the 2nd
PRC, which has resulted in irreparable loss to the Directly Recruited
Employees of BSNL. It is demanded that this issue should be settled
without further delay.
-
Pension Revision to BSNL retirees.
The
pension revision of BSNL pensioners (DoT recruitees) has become due.
They are covered by Govt. pension. However there is no mention about
the pension revision for the BSNL employees either in 7th
CPC or in 3rd PRC. 7th CPC didn’t cover them
on the plea that BSNL employees are having IDA. But 3rd PRC didn’t
touch this aspect at all. Their earlier pension revision was done
w.e.f. 01.01.2007. It is demanded that the government should take
immediate steps for the revision of pension of BSNL pensioners. It is
pertinent to bring to your kind notice that, at the time of last wage
revision, i.e., w.e.f. 01.01.2007, the orders for wage revision of
the BSNL Executives were issued on 27.02.2009 and the orders for wage
revision of the Non-Executives were issued on 07.05.2010. However,
order for revision of pension of the BSNL retirees was issued much
belatedly, i.e., only on 15.03.2011. Such a delay should not take
place this time. Hence, it is requested that the government may
immediately take necessary steps for the timely pension revision of
BSNL retirees.
-
Proposed merger of BSNL and MTNL.
It
is being reported by the media that the proposal for the merger of
MTNL with BSNL is under the active consideration of the government.
We learn that, the Management of MTNL is also sending a proposal to
the government, for it’s merger with BSNL. The unions and
associations of BSNL have already demanded that, the government
should fulfill certain conditions, before proceeding with the merger
of MTNL with BSNL.
However,
we are disappointed that the government has not considered the
demands of the unions and associations so far, but is proceeding with
the merger proposal. Under these circumstances, we once again
earnestly request you to kindly consider the following demands, so
that the merger of MTNL with BSNL does not become a catastrope for
BSNL.
-
MTNL should be delisted from the share market.
-
Government should take over the financial liability of MTNL.
-
Government should provide financial assistance to BSNL to revamp the networks in MTNL areas.
-
Salary structure of the employees of BSNL and MTNL should be one on the same.
We
request you to kindly look into the issues and cause to settle them
at the earliest.
Thanking
you
Yours
sincerely,