Outcome of the talks held between United Forum and BSNL Management on the charter of demands for the one day strike to be held on 25.10.2013. Final round of talks between the United Forum and the BSNL Management took place at 1600 hrs yesterday the 18.10.2013. Com. P. Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU, Com. V.A.N. Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU, Com. Suresh Kumar, GS, BSNL MS and Com. R.L. Moudgil, AGS, BSNLEU, represented the United Forum. The Management Side was represented by Shri A.N. Rai, Director (HR), Shri R.K. Goyal, GM (Estt.), Shri Neeraj Verma, GM (SR) and Shri Satish Wadhwa, DGM (SR). The following is the final status of the issues discussed (including the discussion that took place on 17.09.2013). (1) Correct implementation of the NEPP. (a) As regards the Sr.TOAs who were depromoted from 7100 scale to 6550 scale on opting for NEPP, we demanded that they should be retained in 7100 scale. Management agreed to favourably consider this. (b) Our demand that pay scale upgradation of TTAs w.e.f. 01.10.2000 and pay scale upgradation of Drivers should not be treated as promotion under NEPP is accepted. (c) Our demand that the conversion of LDCs to TOAs should not be treated as promotion under NEPP is accepted. (d) As regards average entries for eligibility to promotion under NEPP, the following is accepted. i. For promotions from NE-I pay scale to NE-5 pay scale, 5 average entries will allowed instead of the present 4 average entries. (This means promotion will be given, even if officials are given average entries for all the five years of review). ii. For promotions from NE-5 pay scale to NE-8 pay scale, 4 average entries will be allowed instead of the present 3 average entries for SC/ST employees. For OC employees 3 average entries will be allowed instead of the present 2 entries. iii. For promotions from NE-8 pay scale to NE-10 pay scale, 3 average entries will be allowed to SC/ST employees, instead of the present 2 average entries. For OC employees, 2 average entries will be allowed instead of the present 1 average entry. iv. Our demand that post based promotions given after 01.10.2000 should not be counted as promotion under NEPP was however not accepted. (2) Implementation of E 1 pay scale This is being submitted for the approval of the Management Committee, which is meeting next week. (3) Change of Designations. (a) This will be submitted for the approval of the Management Committee in it’s meeting to be held on 30.10.2013. (b) Representation to BSNLEU in the various committees. Our demand that BSNLEU should be given representation in various committees to be formed, in the 9:5 ratio is accepted. (4) Salary reduction of the employees appointed on or after 01.01.2007. The Committee, consisting of the 3 GMs which was formed to study the issue is giving a positive recommendation shortly. (5) Stagnation. Elaborate discussion took place on this issue. However, our demand that the pay scales from NE-2 to NE-5 should be merged, to settle the stagnation problem was not accepted, on the plea that merger of pay scales would not be accepted by the government.(6) Regular JTO promotion to the officiating JTOs. Management accepted to promote all the officiating JTOs as regular JTOs, by creating super numerary JTO posts. (7) Settlement of anomalies of the 1 st Wage Revision. We demanded that based on the Hon’ble Ernakulam CAT judgement, the pay of all the affected seniors should be stepped at par with their juniors. Management Side said that based on the inputs received from Kerala and AP Circles, settlement of the case will cost the Company to the tune of Rs. 90 crore. After prolonged discussion Management made the following proposals. (a) In respect of the serving employees, stepping up at par with junior will be done prospectively and the proposals will be sent for DoT’s approval. (b) As regards the cases of the employees who are already retired, it will be dealt with in the manner that DoT deals with the pension revision based on 78.2% IDA merger, in respect of those who retired between 01.01.2007 to 10.06.2013. (8) Revival of telecom factories. BSNLEU has already demanded that the telecom factories should be revived, by starting the manufacturing of items such as telephone instruments, batteries, modems, PLB pipes, OFC, etc. In this regard, Management Side gave the following status:- (a) With a view to manufacture telephone instruments in our factories, the Mumbai factory has developed a prototype instrument, which is undergoing the final stage of evaluation. (b) The proposal to manufacture modems is dropped, since it requires the collaboration of a foreign company. (c) Machines are purchased in Kolkata and Jabalpur factories for manufacturing PLB pipes. This is in addition to the machines already hired for the purpose. (d) Management wants to manufacture OFC accessories in our factories. A tender floated for this has flopped. Retendering is being done. (e) Management intends to engage a private company to manufacture batteries in our factories. (We did not agree with this proposal.) (9) Relaxing the eligibility conditions to appear the TM, TTA, JTO and JAO exams. Management Side stated that presently the amendment of TTA Recruitment Rules is under consideration. They will finalise the same after discussion with the unions. Thereafter amendment of JTO etc. will be taken up. We strongly demanded that the qualifying service for JTO LICE should be reduced to 5 years. Management side agreed to examine this. (10) (a) Revision of pension in respect of those who retired between 01.01.2007 and 10.06.2013, based on 78.2% IDA merger. Management has already accepted to take up the issue with the DoT. A DO letter from the CMD on this matter is being sent to the DoT. (b) Payment of arrears to the serving employees, on 78.2% IDA merger. We have demanded that the clause in the DoT order dated 10.06.2013, which denies payment of arrears to the serving employees, should be removed. Management is taking up this issue also with the DoT.(11) Compassionate Ground Appointments. Management agreed to review the cases which are rejected, despite the candidates getting high weightage points. The CGA issue will further be discussed in the forthcoming National Council meeting. (12) Regularisation of the left out TSMs and Casual Labourers. Management Side said that this cannot be done in view of the judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. (13) Productivity Linked Incentive (PLI). We demanded that BSNL should evolve a new PLI formula, based on the DPE letter which says that PLI is not connected with the profitability of the PSU. Management Side agreed to examine this demand. However, they did not accept our demand that one month’s pay should be paid as adhoc PLI, pending finalization of the new PLI formula. (14) Issuing of Presidential Orders in respect of the employees whose training started during DoT’s time, but appointed after formation of BSNL. Management Side said that this case has again been sent for the consideration of the DoT. (15) Option for pay fixation on promotion, on the date of next increment, which fell after 01.10.2000. Management Side informed that this case is rejected by the DoT. (16) Upgradation of pay scales of Sr.TOA, TM, etc. We pointed out that these demands are pending in the promotions committee and demanded that discussion should be started on them. Management Side agreed to look into it. (17) Filling up of back-log SC/ST vacancies. Management Side gave the following status. (a) Special drives were conducted in 2011 and 2012 to fill up the back log vacancies in TTA cadre. (b) Exams were conducted for TM cadre in 2011 and 2013. Any information given by the Union regarding unfilled SC/ST vacancies would be looked into. (c) In JTO cadre, LICE is conducted only this year, for which results are not fully declared. (18) Implementation of reservation in NEPP. This is not accepted, since reservation is available only in post based promotions, as per orders of Hon’ble Supreme Court. (19) Relaxation in qualifying marks for SC/ST employees in Departmental Promotion exams as per DoP&T orders. As per the decision of the National Council, BSNLEU has submitted a memorandum and has held discussion with the Sr.GM (Rectt.) on 31.01.2013. We bitterly complained that the points raised by the Union, with regards to the non-implementation of the DoP&T orders were totally ignored by the Recruitment Branch. For this, the Management Side replied that the complaint of the Union would be appropriately looked into. (20) Revision of the wages of casual labour and TSMs, based on IDA pay scale. This demand is not accepted. (21) Promotion through personal upgradation, of the officials who have completed TM training. Though Management did not accept this demand, they assured to do the needful, if information is provided regarding the details of employees who are awaiting promotion.(22) Review of the JAO and JTO results. We demanded that the results of the JAO and JTO, for which exams were conducted recently should be reviewed, by relaxing the qualifying marks. This demand was not accepted and Management told that fresh exams will be conducted to fill up the left out vacancies. (23) Fresh recruitment of staff. We demanded that Management should make fresh recruitment, since employees are retiring in bulk and acute shortage is there in some cadres. Management Side agreed that fresh blood should come into BSNL. This issue will be further discussed. (24) 5 day / 40 hrs. week. This demand is not accepted. (25) Pensionary benefits of Direct Recruited employees. We have already submitted our proposal in writing. Management side said the Committee formed for the purpose will submit it’s report next week. (26) Giving chance to Non-Executives to appear MT exam. This demand is not accepted. (27) Restoration of LTC, leave encashment on LTC, and medical allowance. This issue was discussed. However, the demand is not accepted in view of the strained financial position of the Company. (28) Payment of minimum wage to contract workers, on par with the wages of the cadres whose work they are doing. This demand is not accepted. (29) Implementation of labour laws in respect of minimum wages and social security measures like EPF, ESI etc. for contract workers. We brought to the notice of the Management that large scale violation is taking place in the implementation of the labour laws, in respect of minimum wages and social security measures such as EPF, ESI etc. Management Side replied that a number of orders have already been issued by the Corporate Office in this regard. They assured to take action on specific cases of violation, if they are brought to their notice. (30) Revision of allowances. The issue was discussed. However, our demand for immediate revision of allowances is not accepted. ****** bsnlnewsbyashokhindocha.blogspot
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 08:56:40 +0000