AT a time when the entire officers and workers of BSNL are engaged in continuous struggles against the pro-Reliance Jio and anti-BSNL steps being taken by the government, BSNLEU, the biggest trade union of BSNL, has conducted its 9th all India conference at Mysuru. The conference which was held from December 17-20, 2018, has taken many important decisions to defend BSNL and the future of the employees.

INAUGURAL SESSION

The four-day conference got kick-started with a colourful cultural programme, followed by the hoisting of the national flag and the union's red flag. The conference was inaugurated by Tapan Sen, general secretary, CITU. In his inaugural speech, Tapan Sen, highlighted the anti-public sector policies of the Narendra Modi government. He appreciated BSNLEU, which is relentlessly spearheading united struggles for the past 18 years, against the pro-private policies of the government, as a result of which BSNL remains as a 100 per cent government company. On one side, the rulers of the day raise “Bharat Mata ki Jai” slogan, but on the other side, they are doing everything against Bharat Mata, said Tapan Sen.

Taking steps to weaken the public sector BSNL, for the benefit of Mukesh Ambhani’s Reliance Jio, is certainly an action against Bharat Mata, he said. The Indian railways and the public sector defence production units, which were built brick-by-brick during the last 70 years, are now being demolished in favour of the private sector, he said. All these steps are certainly against Bharat Mata. Tapan Sen urged upon the delegates to massively participate in the two-day general strike, that is taking place on January 8-9, 2019.

The conference was also greeted by Amanullah Khan, president, All India Insurance Employees Association, VAN Namboodiri, former general secretary of BSNLEU, Seethalakshmi, vice president of Confederation of Central Government Employees, Animesh Mitra, secretary general of BSNL Casual Contract Workers Federation and KG Jayaraj, general secretary, All India BSNL-DoT Pensioners Association. In the afternoon of the first day, an enthusiastic rally was organised. Delegates who had come from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, raised slogans against the pro-corporate and anti-worker policies of the Modi government.

In the evening, an impressive seminar was organised on the topic of “Revival of BSNL”. P Abhimanyu, general secretary, delivered the key-note address and gave a vivid picture of the united struggles conducted during the past two years, to defend BSNL. Leaders of all the major organisations of the officers and workers of BSNL, addressed the seminar and expressed their determination to continue with the fight against the anti-BSNL policies of the government.

DELEGATES' SESSION

1,354 elected delegates, who had come from the length and breadth of the country, engaged themselves for three days, deliberating on the report presented by the general secretary. The delegates noted with satisfaction that the sinister attempts made by the Modi government to break BSNL to pieces by forming a subsidiary tower company, have been defeated through united struggles. The delegates also appreciated the all India leadership of the union, which has played a pivotal role in uniting all the major organisations of the officers and the workers, as a result of which the new umbrella organisation, “All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB)”, has been formed.

The delegates noted with satisfaction that, BSNLEU has played a significant role in mobilising the officers and workers for the improvement of BSNL's quality of services, as well as in boosting its sales and marketing, as a result of which BSNL had recorded a higher growth rate in the mobile segment in 2017, compared to Airtel, Vodafone and Idea. It was also appreciated that BSNL has been able to make this achievement with 2G and 3G technologies, while all the private companies are armed with the state-of-the-art 4G technology. The delegates endorsed in unequivocal terms, the strategy adopted by the leadership in deferring the indefinite strike recently, after the telecom minister was compelled to hold talks with the AUAB. The delegates also expressed their resolve to join the two day general strike, that is taking place on January 8-9, 2019. A total of 96 delegates participated in the deliberations, at the end of which the general secretary's report was adopted with a few minor amendments.

LANDMARK DECISION TO STRENGTHEN UNITY

The conference has taken many important decisions, and has also passed resolutions on crucial issues. With a view to strengthen unity, the conference has taken an important decision. The recognition rules of the non-executives in BSNL stipulate that no other union will be recognised, if the first union obtains 50 per cent votes or more, in the membership verification. BSNLEU is the biggest organisation of the non-executives in BSNL, which is enjoying 50 per cent membership among the workers. As such, the above mentioned clause has been a bone of contention among the trade unions in BSNL. The Mysuru conference has unanimously decided to demand the management, to remove this clause from the recognition rules. Undoubtedly, this is a landmark decision in strengthening the unity of the working class. Another important decision of the conference is that the union has decided to intensify its movements, for ensuring minimum wage, as well as implementation of EPF for the contract workers, and also to ensure wage revision and regularisation of the left out casual labourers.

of office bearers took place unanimously. Animesh Mitra of West Bengal and P Abhimanyu of Tamil Nadu are elected president and general secretary respectively. The ninth all India conference of BSNLEU has certainly taken landmark decisions to carry on its struggle against the pro-corporate and anti-worker policies of the government and also to ensure the revival of BSNL, as a vibrant public sector undertaking.