Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) Employees Union (EU) on Tuesday announced its intentions to organize “black flag” demonstrations during the lunch hour on July 16. The BSNLEU said that the demonstration is being held against the cancellation of BSNL 4G tender along with “the road blocks being created in the rolling out of BSNL's 4G services.” Additionally, the main recognized union in BSNL has also listed other demands including the timely payment of salaries. The BSNLEU said that the decision to organize the demonstrations was taken at its All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) meeting held on Monday. It has to be noted that the BSNL employees had earlier staged a protest on June 26 urging the government to act on its promises.
BSNL Employees Union Demands Immediate Roll Out of 4G Services.
The BSNLEU said that a memorandum would be submitted to all the members of the parliament “urging upon them to intervene in favour of BSNL’s expeditious rolling out of 4G network.” It was said that the memorandum will be submitted between July 13 to July 31.
Further, the BSNLEU said that a “Twitter campaign” will be organised on August 5 demanding the immediate roll out of 4G network by BSNL along with the implementation of BSNL revival package.
The BSNLEU has also demanded that the state-run PSU “should immediately be allowed to roll out” the 4G services. The union has said that BSNL “should take immediate actions to upgrade” the 4G compatible Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs). The BSNLEU has also said that the tender for procuring 4G equipment should be immediately published.
“In the matter of procuring new equipments and upgrdation, there should not be any discrimination, between BSNL and other private telecom service providers,” the BSNLEU said on Tuesday.
BSNL Employees Union Demands Timely Payment of Salaries
The BSNLEU said that the government should implement the measures promised to BSNL as part of its revival package including the issue of sovereign guarantee to BSNL for raising funds from the market.
The union has also demanded that BSNL management should take “urgent measures” for improving the quality of service and also ensure the timely payment of salaries to the employees.
Additionally, the BSNLEU said that the management should “immediately take steps” for ensuring that the employees get cashless treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Management should pay Rs.10 lakh to the family of the employees who die due to COVID-19,” the BSNLEU noted in its demands on Tuesday. “Based on the instructions issued by the DoT, the Postal Department has already introduced such a scheme to it’s employees.”