AIGETOA CHQ Team met Sr GM establishment with regard to the clearance of payment of GTI cases. This was under constant persuasion by association as there was some technical obstacles with respect to the disbursement of the amount. Now the discussions have been concluded and the obstacle has been cleared .It is decided that LIC will pay the consolidated amount to BSNL and BSNL CO will transfer the amount directly to nominee of the concerned executive. A separate account will be opened by BSNL for the purpose. All the pending payments on account of GTI shall be cleared thereafter.
AIGETOA team comprising of Shri D K Sahoo (AGS CHQ), Shri Ashok Acharya (Jt Secy East) and Shri Dhiren Parida (CS Odisha) met Hon’ble MOC Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw ji at Bhubaneswar today. The team requested him for Immediate Permission to Launch 4G services and directing BSNL Board to accord approval for launching 4G services through upgradation route, removing various obstacles for the land monetization through cabinet decision, allowing BSNL for 5G testing, release of pending amount from DoT, extending 3rd PRC benefits to BSNL and settlement of pending HR issues at DoT part. We also told that while implementing the concept of Atmanirbhar Bharat, business interests of BSNL should be taken care of. Honble Minister went through the submissions and had a brief discussion on the issues. He advised us to focus on Customer Care.
Hon’ble MoC agreed to meet AIGETOA Team to discuss all the issues related to Revival of BSNL in details at New Delhi.
AIGETOA Team met PGM Pers on 16.08.2021 and discussed the DPC aspect of left out JTOs in telecom wing. With reconciliation of vacancies, he informed that the vacancies have been rechecked and things have been found in order. However AIGETOA insisted that there is definite mismatch in calculation and same needs to be rechecked. Further, as per the request of AIGETOA during meeting with CMD BSNL and PGM Pers earlier, roster preparation for calendar year 2019 has also been initiated, so that further DPC can happen. We requested for updating the roster for calendar year 2020 also. The notification process for LDCE is also under process and the same is expected shortly. We also requested for expediting the DPCs for JTO to SDE in electrical and civil wing. PGM Pers assured for the early completion. In Civil wing certain issues are there with respect to vacancy calculation, which is being looked into.
As far as the promotion in SDE (T) to AGM and AO to CAO is concerned, it was again reiterated that the promotion can not be executed due to pendency of SLP in Hon’ble Supreme Court and necessary remedial action for including all eligible/time bound functional upgradation to next grade is being discussed with Director HR and CMD BSNL. In the meantime the association is also exploring legal solution for the logjam in view of the SLP.
A formal meeting with CMD BSNL took place yesterday (11.08.2021) to discuss upon the restructuring exercise being undertaken by BSNL. The meeting was attended by the Director HR and GM Restructuring and association side was represented by Shri Ravi Shil Verma AIP, Shri Wasi Ahmad GS, Shri Badri Kumar Mehta VP and Shri Rajendra Singh.
The meeting was quite exhaustive and detailed discussion took place on staffing norms, stagnation and career progression of the executives which satisfies the minimum career aspirations of all executives. Association pointed out many lacuanes in calculation of norms and many of them were acknowledged by CMD. However CMD BSNL expressed his firmness towards keeping the structure lean and thin. We stated that structure of organization can’t be transformed over night and persons, who are working in organisation can’t be allowed to stagnate just because a lean and thin structure is to be developed. On stagnation part, CMD BSNL endorsed our view that executives can not be allowed to stagnate beyond a stipulated period. He sought certain more inputs to us, which we will be submitting in 2-3 days. He also directed his team to provide the same input. On making AGM grade operational cadre, CMD BSNL was not in concurrence and said that alternative mechanism like LDCE/Selection Process can be thought of for pushing meritorious executives up in the ladder. We said in AGM grade, LDCE will not serve the purpose and instead all should be given chance to compete for the posts in DGM grade for which MS RR is already having the provision and for that all eligible candidates (JTO/JAO/SDE/AO/AGM/CAO and equivalent grade executives) should be promoted to their next grade before the restructuring exercise. This will give way forward of promotion despite of reservation and seniority issue.
On two points, there was some consensus between management and Association side but disagreement on Quantum.
1. There should not be stagnation in any cadre beyond a justified time. The management side stated that stagnation should not be beyond 10-11 years in JTO/JAO/Equivalent grade and 14-15 years in SDE/AO/Equivalent grade but association side took strong objection to this view point and demanded that the maximum stagnation of 4 years at JTO/JAO/equivalent grade and 8 years at SDE/AO/Equivalent grade can be tolerated. Further association side also ruled out introduction of any intermediate functional grade like Sr SDE/Sr AO grade and demanded no intermediary post should be created for name sake.
2. Meritorious executives at all levels need to be identified and pushed up in the ladder to take higher responsibilities. We demanded DGM Promotions strictly on selection cum merit as stipulated in MS RR instead of gifting it based on seniority which was never the intent of the MS RR.
Association shall be submitting it’s input on next 2-3 days based on which further discussion and decision on Restructuring will take place.
We also discussed the matter of Inter-Se-Seniority for VY 2006-7 onwards and highlighted various legal aspects on which CMD BSNL directed Director HR to get the same examined thoroughly before arriving at any conclusion.
Matter of left out promotions in JTO to SDE cadre was also discussed. It was assured to look into the same.
Thereafter reversal issue was discussed. Management side acknowledged the problem and stated that necessary action needs to be taken to get the issue resolved once for all.
Grand of special Casual Leave to the CEC Members for AIGETOA CEC Meeting to be held on 2nd & 3rd Aug 2021 in Online mode.
Hon’ble Minister of State for Communication visited BSNLCO, New Delhi on 24.07.2021 to have interaction with BSNL management (Board Members & senior officers). The CMD BSNL given presentation and apprised various dimensions and need of the company to the Hon’ble Minister. It has been learnt that the Hon’ble Minister in the meeting with management has asked for a detailed roadmap for next five years for the sustainability and growth of the organisation. Thereafter, a meeting with the leaders of Recognized Associations and Unions was also arranged with the Hon’ble Minister by the CMD BSNL.
In the meeting with associations and unions, AIGETOA was represented by GS Wasi Ahmad and Vice President Shri Badri Kumar Mehta while AGS Sunil Gautam and CS Delhi Shri Rajeev Meena remain present. The other participants of the meeting were SNEA, BSNLEU and NFTE.
The leaders raised major issues specifically associated with BSNL sustainability and employees hardships. Following points were raised in the meeting to the Hon’ble Minister.
- Immediate launching of 4G service by way of up-gradation of the BTSs and procurement and steps for moving towards the launching of 5G service.
- Immediate settlement of dues to BSNL, amounting Rs.39,000 Cr, by the DoT.
- Immediate steps to off-set BSNL debt, through the monetization of lands.
- Disbursement of salary on the last date of every month.
- No monetization of BSNL towers and Optical Fibre as is being planned by the Finance Ministry / Government of India.
- Improvement in BSNL service through investment in the network, which is in depleted conditions.
- Better utilization of the capabilities of 22000 Engineering and Account professionals by way of timely promoting them in middle level management for contributing in better way in the growth of department, as these officers were recruited by BSNL directly from the market through all India selection mechanism and have good potential to be utilized at proper level. Inspite of the formation of 20 Yrs, BSNL couldn’t grow its own recruited officers under management succession plan was also raised.
Earlier AIGETOA welcomed the Hon’ble Minister with a flower bouquet and shawl as mark of respect.
In view of the protest call, a meeting of the association leaders with management arranged on 22th July, 2021 over zoom to discuss the pending issues and resentment lead for the organizational activities by the association. The meeting was arranged on the initiative of Sr GM SR to take stock of the issues and hold a dialogue between the association and management in the larger interest of the organisation. The meeting held under chairmanship of Director HR and it was attended by PGM Pers, Sr Estab, Sr GM SR, GM Restg, DGM SR and other officers of the BSNL Corporate Office. The association side was represented by Shri Ravi Shil Verma, Shri Wasi Ahmad, Shri Yogendra Jharwal, Shri Badri Mehta and Shri Pavan Akhand.
The meeting held in cordial atmosphere and association extended thanks to the management for releasing long pending JTO to SDE Order but apprised that a serious resentment is prevailing in the field due to lukewarm response on many other long pending issues, recent release of inconsistent speaking order and curtailment of promotional posts in the initial proposal of restructuring, which will result in serious stagnation in the career of all executives. The association raised every issue in length and its repercussion and fallout on the executives and the organisation. The meeting lasted for two hours due to discussion on all issues between the two sides.
Finally, Director (HR) assured for his personal efforts to resolve the issues one by one in a timely manner and requested the association to defer the call at least for 2-3 months and continue the ongoing dialogue process for the settlements of all outstanding issues in the larger interest of the department. The association requested Director (HR) to issue a record of discussion of the meeting to instill confidence in the infuriated executives so that association can arrive at a decision as per the assurance. The Director (HR) assures for release of the RoD.
Accordingly, the association has decided to take a call on the ongoing program after release of the record of discussion.
Sr GM SR called on GS AIGETOA and formally invited the association to attend the proposed meeting of Hon’ble Minister of State for Communication, Govt of India. The proposed meeting is scheduled to be held in Corporate Office New Delhi on 24-07-2021. The association will raise the issue of importance for BSNL and it’s executives fraternity infront of the Hon’ble Minister.
Team AIGETOA comprising of Shri Ravi Shil Verma AIP, Shri Wasi Ahmad GS and Shri Badri Kumar Mehta met with the CMD BSNL in the afternoon and again the team comprising of Shri Wasi Ahmad GS, Shri Badri Kumar Mehta VP and Shri Vaibhav Goyal CHQ Adv met Dir HR in the evening for more than an hour on 12.07.2021 to lodge the protest against the unreasonable Speaking Order released on 09.07.2021 and demand for the promotion in grades and sufficient posts in restructuring.
Speaking Order and seniority list: The association lodged strong protest and argued against the unreasonable speaking order with both CMD & Dir HR and demanded to consider the demand of association to not go ahead to revise the seniority list and wait for the legal opinion to reach. It was told to them that the released order is against the basic ethos of the SDE RR 2002 which defines the Quota for LDCE and SCF in each vacancy year. It is a gross injustice to place and LDCE qualified SDE of VY 2006-07 below to 2008-09 SCF Promoted SDE in the seniority list. This thought process of denying justice to the meritorious executives due to one reason or other has always causes loss to the BSNL Recruited Employees and a setback to the organisation. The CMD BSNL and Director HR have given positive assurance to consider our requests.
Restructuring & Promotion: The CMD and Dir HR agreed with concern of the association that stagnation in same grade beyond a reasonable period by the executives is detrimental for the organisation growth. We argued that every executive has a right to grow in his career to a sufficient position in his career life but the initial proposal of the Man Power Planning is totally contrary to the principle due to drastic reduction in the promotion post. The CMD and Director HR both asked to submit the presentation on the restructuring by the due date of 16.07.2021. We demanded for holding of a restructuring meeting with the association and management under chairmanship of the CMD BSNL, to which he agreed. The CMD BSNL told that he is ready to listen the view points of the association and not averse to the promotion of our officers. The association will be holding meeting with CMD BSNL soon after the submission of proposal. The promotion of the AGM and CAO grades were also discussed with the Director (HR) but it was apprised by him that due to SLP filed in Hon’ble SC, the promotion on these posts is not feasible till decision on the SLP. The association demanded to extend one promotion to all executives including AGM/CAO, who have completed their residency period in the substantive grade.
DPC for left JTOs of 2008 batch: We requested the Director (HR) that left out JTOs of 2008 batch are completely frustrated and so their promotion should be ensured. We apprised him that recalculating of vacancies can give sufficient number of posts to cater the need. The Dir(HR) agreed to our request and assured to direct the Pers Cell for the same. We also demanded holding of LDCEs for SDET and LICE for JTOs for all pending vacancy years at a short interval of one month time separately to which he agreed and apprised that the management is also contemplating to hold the LDCE for SDE and LICE for JTO on immediate basis. This is also one of our long pending demands.
ERP Posting: It was apprised to the Dir HR that it was agreed by the Dir CFA to accommodate all remaining executives of ERP in NCR who couldn’t get posted in ERP modules. He assured to settle all cases within NCR as per their request. The available list of 13 request cases of ERP Ghaziabad handed over to the Dir HR for their choice posting.
GS AIGETOA taken up the matter with Dir (HR) on 9th July Morning about left out of candidates and appraised the serious resentment prevailing across the BSNL and demanded to address the issue immediately. The Director (HR) has assured to address the issue and advised all such executives to have patience and management is committed for the solution. The Director(HR) also agreed to hold the LDCE very soon and subsequent.