An
Appeal to BSNL Trade Unions
Respected comrades,
I was one amongst
you some years back and an old practitioner of TUM . I may be known to some
comrades and not known to many.
I hereby prefer an
appeal as I feel the urgency of the situation. The BSNL absorbed Retirees’
Associations are started telling that DOT has taken a policy decision of
delinking Pension Revision from the Pay Revision. For me absence of Pay
revision for pension revision means ‘no pay revision’ in today’s context.
It seems from the
slides of DOT that the Post 2017 pensioners pension will also be settled by means
of an open ended notional Pay . This tantamount to say that for changing their
pension fixed as per 2nd PRC to 3rd PRC scales, DOT need not to take any Pay Revision
as it was done earlier in 2011 order or 2016 order.
DOT is having only
Executive scales as mentioned by 3rd PRC/ DPE. If they approve it then they
have scales for Executives. We do not know how without any Pay revision to
Executives- the one need to be projected by BSNL afresh, DOT selectively
approve the scales, date of effect, IDA merger points and any fitment in
between zero to 15 percent.
It is up to DOT to
settle the issue of pension revision whether taking all these issues or not, as
DOT knows better the hindrances than me.
For NE there is no
agreement as on date and so no authorized or Wage committee approved scales.
Though some pensioners’ associations are demanding and putting forth the NE
scales discussed in the wage committee, BSNL needs an agreement to forward the
same to DOT. Here also neither BSNL nor DOT can selectively take the pay scales
alone from the wage agreement, if at all anything reached. They cannot bring an
agreement on pay scales only without taking the overall issue of Pay Revision
If
DOT wants the scales of NE for Pension Revision - that is possible only if
there is a wage agreement between BSNL management and the recognized Unions.
Recognized Unions
are trying their level best in the reconstituted wage committee. The issue may
be construction of scales as that of Executives calculated with the scope of 15
percent fitment. BSNL is objecting it on the plea of higher pension
contribution to DOT. But in the case of Executives, it has to agree higher
contribution as BSNL has no say on it.
If DOT is
convinced getting assurance for one time exemption that is exemption to pay
enhanced contribution till the date of issuance of DOT’s approval for wage
revision or till the effective date of VRS that is up to Jan 2020, then that
may cause the burden of BSNL lessened.
The next issue may
be regarding the fitment percentage. This I think can be clinched by agreeing
by the reverse linkage method. The fitment for wage revision may be as that of
the one which DOT prescribes for pensioners for Pension Revision that is in
between zero to 15 percent . We can demand quoting pension revision percentage
and get the same. This may help us to clinch the issue.
The major issue is
how to get exemption for the BSNL for wage revision from the DPE order. DOT
takes a shortcut bypassing this ‘seeking exemption’ route for carrying out the
task of pension revision. No DPE guidelines are standing as a bar to pension
revision of its pensioners to DOT. The only necessity for it is the need concurrence of DOE of MOF for meeting the further
expenditure and approval of cabinet for implementation.
For amendment to
37 sub rule of 2021, for pension fixation on notional pay it needs DOPPW
approval and that department is positive for the same.
As I see the
things, I feel the task for unions become urgent to clinch the issue of wage
agreement and sending the same to DOT as early as possible.
Pressing the DOT
to take the issue of wage proposal of Executives to the Cabinet for logical conclusion,
simultaneously with the issue of pension revision will solve the issue of
interconnected ness ( pre, post, employee) prevailing all along in the last 22
years in the BSNL and even earlier when
we were all Govt employees. Even today the CPC through 7 th CPC maintained the
inter connectivity between CG Employees and CG pensioners.
I appeal to the
unions to consider my appeal. I always repose my faith on the leaders and in
their wisdom. If pay revision is also settled on the analogy of pension
revision that will protect the morale and welfare of all.
Sorry to bother
you
With all comradely
love
R.Pattabiraman
25-10- 2022 12 hrs
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