A union of state-run telecom major BSNL today said its workers, executives and non- executives plan to go on a one-day strike on December 15 against the 'proposed retrenchment of workers' through VRS and withdrawal of benefits like medical allowance.
The Joint Action Committee of Associations/Unions of BSNL Executives and Non-Executives said in a statement that BSNL workers will go on one-day strike on December 15 against the proposed retrenchment of workers through voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), withdrawal of existing benefits like medical allowance, leave travel concession encashment, and demanding procurement of mobile equipments and broadband modem.
JAC has been continuously pressurising the BSNL management to procure mobile lines and other equipments to enable the company to provide better service to the people.
It said BSNL started going down after the management cancelled the procurement of 4.5 crore mobile tender in 2007, 9.5 crore mobile tender in 2010, putting the company in acute shortage of mobile lines and equipments which resulted in market share and loss of revenue.
JAC alleged that while the employees are attending extra working hours, meeting subscribers without any extra remuneration, the BSNL management has resorted to retrenching about 1 lakh workers (about 40% of the existing 2.76 lakh workers), denying bonus and withdrawing existing benefits to the workers.
"It is only due to the pro-private and anti-PSU policies of the government and mis-management that the financial viability of the company has been adversely affected," the JAC said.