Pending pay, promotions: 12K BSNL employees to strike indefinitely

CHENNAI: As many as 12,000 BSNL executives across India, including 250 members in Chennai, have gone into an indefinite strike urging for pending pay, promotions and pensions.

The All India Graduate Engineers and Telecom Officers Association (AIGETOA) who have gone for the nation-wide indefinite strike from Monday claim that BSNL management has violated the trust of employees by not implementing the orders of Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) issued in respect to Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) executives.

AIGETOA members claim, despite raising the long pending issues multiple times, BSNL has not paid heed to the concerns. Further, the members claimed that there is complete failure to capitalise and utilise the opportunity provided by the Union government to resurrect BSNL.

Speaking to DT Next, S Uma Chandran, Chennai circle secretary of AIGETOA said, “Those recruited between 2009 and 2020 have been facing severe income loss due to three sets of salary basis based on joining date. Additionally, the amount pending under Superannuation Benefit (SAB) pension is also yet to be cleared and updated.”

Chandran also pointed out that the SAB pension of Rs 2,500 is insufficient for families. “BSNL is failing to provide social security to its employees. Even the hospital expenses are thrust upon employees in the name of optional group health insurance,” added Chandran.

Subsequently, circle president P Jaimurugan highlighted that despite the Supreme Court ordering reservation in promotion in January 2020, BSNL has neglected the order.

Some of the demands of the BSNL are: settlement of pay loss for Junior Telecom Officers (JTOs) and Junior Accounts Officer (JAOs), approval of salary scales equivalent to Department of Telecommunications (DoT), promotions for Assistant General Manager and for all eligible executives, issuance of promotion in Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and equivalent grades and regular promotions in Deputy General Manager grades.