: The BSNL Employees Union (BSNLEU) will launch an indefinite strike on March 17 to press its 21-point charter of demands aimed at the revival of the flagging public sector company.
According to K. Mohanan, State secretary of the BSNLEU, the government or the top management was yet to take any concrete steps to minimise the loss that had mounted in the last few years.
On top of the list of demands is the appointment of a full-time Chairman and Managing Director and Directors for Finance and Human Resource.
Policies blamed
The absence of a permanent top-level management has hampered BSNL’s growth. The union has also asked for the rejection of the recommendations put forward by consultancy firm Deloitte to make it ‘profitable,’ which includes entrenchment of 70,000 employees, recruitment of executives on contract basis, and reducing the number of Secondary Switching Areas.
“The BSNL is incurring losses not because of its staff, but due to the policies at the top. The staff, more than anyone, want to revive this company as is evident from the fact that only a few employee-related points are part of our demands,” said Mr. Mohanan.
Other demands of the union include increased government support through financial aid, urgent equipment purchase and penetration of 4G networks.
It has also sought rejection of the proposal to divide the BSNL into several companies and also merger with MTNL.
