United forum of Executives’ Associations of Calcutta Telephones

Sub: Notice for Organisational  Programme

    No- UF/CTD/TUP/12-13/01                                                                  Dated 24^th Sept 2012

     Dear Sir,

      United Front of Executives’ Associations of Calcutta Telephones District met on 19/09/2012 to take a serious view of the plight of Principal Employers working in fields. Present situation of Calcutta Telephones arising out of various problems related to contractual labours as well as other basic issues related to maintenance and growth of the network has been discussed in detail. Members are very concerned about the overall deterioration of the service and lack of administrative concern for restoration of the situation. The following views were unanimously expressed and accepted in the meeting.

§ Calcutta Telephones is in a total anarchy where inspite of paying the highest wages to the contractual labours compared to other circles, the labours are agitating on one issue or other which leads to stoppage of work for almost 20 days in a month and there is no action plan on the part of top management to control the situation. Total indiscipline is prevailing at all levels of the organisation. Anyone can do anything as per ones wish and one is not answerable to anybody.

§ The fund allotted for day to day maintenance is almost entirely spent for paying the wages of contractual labours and security guards. Even bare minimum fund required for day to day work is not available with the Areas. As a shortcut measure, the financial powers delegated to the DGMs are drastically reduced/curtailed, which ultimately cannot bring any solution; on the contrary such act is jeopardizing the works in field. CTD authority has miserably failed to convince BSNL CO for separate allotment of the fund required for payment of the contract labours. On the other hand, in the face of constant fund crunch, there are indications that administration is perhaps contemplating avenues of increasing the wages of contractual labours by elevating them from “skilled” to “highly skilled” category. We are not against financial upliftment of any employees or labours whatsoever, but certainly against the idea of doing so at the cost of growth and maintenance of the company. Management, if at all contemplating such ideas, should have the guts also for arrangement of the fund required for such cause. Or otherwise, habitual delays in payments are subjecting the field officers to tortuous gherao, abuses, threats etc by contractual labours in various pockets of Calcutta Telephones and the situation has come to an unbearable extent.

§ Present system of payment of bills under “Job Contract” scheme is erroneous and risky to the officers who are supervising / passing /approving such expenditures. We have repeatedly brought the issue to the notice of the administration from time to time, which ultimately resulted into increase of “unit rates”. As a result the rates have now become astronomical figures.

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§ The CTD administration at present is virtually under the mercy of the “Job Contractors”. The practice of pleading to contractors by field officers/management for payment to contractual labours on almost regular basis, being unable to clear the outstanding bills is highly frustrating and humiliating, more so, in the face of gheraos, abuses etc. It is ridicules that inspite of being the officers of the largest Telecom PSU, our members have to plead before the Job Contractors again and again.

§ It was a routine feature in previous years before “Durga Puja”, our members were gheraoed and abused for settlement of bonus issue. This year the bonus issue stands sorted out but a new issue of “up gradation to highly skilled” has taken its place. Already in exchanges like Behala, Alipore, Kalighat, Serampore etc verbal notice is given to the effect that “ if within a stipulated time if this month the up gradation did not materialise then the regular employees will not be allowed to enter in their offices”. Over the last week/s the work/activity has by and large stopped in spite of receipt of August wages.

§ In 2004, when Job Contract scheme was introduced, the Divisional Engineers were made the “Principal Employers” as per CLRA act. As a result the wrath of the labours had to be experienced by the DEs every time.  We have consulted some expert on the issue of “who should be PE in PSUs like BSNL”. The Expert opinion is that “BSNL” will be the PE and registration with Labour Commissioner has to be done by the CGM or GM (HR) if nominated by CGM.

§ There are acute vacancies at all level of officers/management. In mid level management large number of officers are either officiating or looking after multiple charges in the interest of service in spite of being over burden. On the contrary, it is observed that senior regular DGM/ITS with not so substantial responsibilities are not being given the charge of vacant GM posts. Very few GMs are looking after the field operations of Calcutta Telephones which is telling upon its efficiency and quality of service. 

As already stated, the situation has taken a serious proportion since officers in fields are seething aggrieved due to constant gheraos and abuses and are in no mood to officiate or lookafter in such positions. As officers, they have had been absorbing such torture as occupational hazards but are unable to continue further, in absence of any serious action on the part of administration to stem the situation. In view of this, we have been directed to issue this notice for Organisational actions on the demands as mentioned below:

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DEMANDS

ü Immediate segregation of labour payment fund from maintenance fund. Sanction for adequate fund has to be obtained from BSNL CO under any circumstances. Present type of persuasion is not good enough for allotment. The fund allotted under maintenance head has to be spent for maintenance   only.

ü Discipline has to be restored at all levels at any cost. Not mere issue of circulars but effective measures and action has to be taken for proper accountability and discipline in all offices.

ü Present system of “Job Contract” billing has to be corrected, so that the sanctioning authority does not suffer from any risk. This has to be done immediately.

ü Protection of all field officers have to be introduced against abuses, gherao , threatening etc. This has to be controlled centrally. The vigilance wing has to move in such cases under the instructions of CGM.

ü Already rule is there for suitable actions against unauthorised absence both for regular employees and contract labours. But in CTD those have become in fructuous. The system has to be     restored    with    proper  administrative   actions.

ü CGM CTD should immediately get registered with labour commissioner as PE under CLRA act according to the rule.

ü Immediate filling up of vacant post at all levels of management particularly Operational GM posts.

PROGRAMME:

· Day Long Dharna on 5^th of October 2012 in front of CGM’s Chamber at Telephone Bhawan.

· Further course of action shall be intimated in due time.

We hope that that the management will take suitable immediate action on the demands mentioned above to maintain the industrial harmony.

                       Thanking you.

                                          Yours faithfully

(Prasun Mukhopadhay)         (Dilip Saha)          (Deepak Kumar Sahoo)

Cir. Secy-AIBSNLEA              St.Secy-SNEA        Cir. Secy -AIGETOA      

Copy To

1. GM/HR/CTD -for kind information please

2. All Respective General Secretaries