BSNL employees up in arms

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 8

The two-day strike call given by the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) Employees Union commenced at the BSNL office, near Bharat Nagar Chowk, today. A large number of members and office-bearers of the BSNL Employees Union and National Federation of Telecom Employees Union participated in the protest.

Agitating employees raised slogans against the Central Government for failing to meet their various demands. BSNL Employees Union general secretary Balbir Singh said the Central Government-led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed to provide relief to employees, labourers and common man during its tenure.

“The government is making efforts to hand over public sector organisations to certain businessmen which is not acceptable. Labour class is facing tough time due to rising inflation and youngsters are not getting jobs. Survival of public sector organizations, including the BSNL has also become difficult due to wrong policies of the Central Government”, said Surjit Singh of the National Federation for Telecom Employees.

The union leaders also criticised the government’s effort of not allocating 4G spectrum to the BSNL. “The government has failed badly to meet long pending demands of the BSNL employees. We will instensify our protests, if the government fails to fulfill demands of employees in near future,” said Balbir.

Avtar Singh Jhande of the BSNL Employees Union and Vinay Raina of the National Federation for Telecom Employees also addressed the agitating employees.