WEST BENGAL / KOLKATA CIRCLES MAMMOTH MEETING AT KOLKATA ON 9TH JANUARY 2009 - MASSIVE SUPPORT TO UNITED FORUM

 

KOLKATA (09.01.2009)

 

Kolkata witnessed on 9th January 2009, the biggest rally ever held at the Telephone Bhawan premises with more than 3,500 enthusiastic workers participating and hearing their leaders with rapt attention.  Workers were coming in large numbers even after the meeting started.  The whole Telephone Bhawan ground was decorated with colourful BSNLEU and United Forum banners and Cell Phone symbol giving a festive atmosphere.

 

The meeting started at 1430 hrs with a presidium consisting of Coms.Mihir Das Gupta, Circle President, BSNLEU, Kolkata Telephones, Adhir Kumar Sen, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Telecom Stores, Om Prakash, Circle Secretary, Telecom Factory and Gobinda Das, W.Bengal presiding over the rally.  Com. Saibal Sen Gupta, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU, Kolkata Telephones welcomed all.

 

The high platform where the leaders sat was decorated with big banners mentioning the United Forum and the Alliance Unions.  Veteran P&T Trade Union leaders Coms. Moni Bose, Ananta Bhattacharjee, Pabitra Chakraborty, Supriya Mitra and others were also present. Coms. Mallikarjun, Chairman, BSNLMS (BTEF), Animesh Mitra, Circle Secretary, Tapas Ghosh and others addressed.

 

Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, General Secretary, BSNLEU and Conveneor, United Forum in his lengthy speech mentioned about the major achievements of United Forum during the last four years.  He stated that more achievements was be made than what was done by NFTE-FNTO alliance during the first 4 years of BSNL or the last three decades in DoT.  The new Promotion Policy will benefit all BSNL workers.  Agreement on OTBP/BCR were made by NFTE etc through matching savings by abolishing thousands of vacancies and stopping allowances.  But there is no surrender or compromise in the present Promotion Policy.  The Charter of Demands for the next two years were presented.

 

The rally on 09.01.2009 has once again established that the West Bengal, Kolkata Telecom Factory & Telecom Stores workers together will make more than 75% vote for BSNLEU, more than last time.

 

Telecom Stores, Kolkata (09.01.2009)

 

Almost the entire staff of Telecom Stores were present in the meeting held in the morning of 9th January 2009 at the CGM(O) premises.  Com. Adhir Kumar Sen, Circle Secretary, welcomed all.  Com. Ratin Bhowmik presided.  Com. Mallikarjun, Chairman, BSNLMS (BTEF) addressed.  Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, General Secretary, BSNLEU spoke briefly about our issues and called upon the workers to vote for BSNLEU to ensure the future or BSNL and BSNL workers.

 

Telecom Factory, Kolkata (09.01.2009)

 

The meeting held at Telecom Factory, Alipore, Kolkata premises was one of the biggest held in recent times.  More than one thousand participated to hear Com.Namboodiri and other leaders.  The meeting was presided by Com. Shekhar Bhattacharjee, Circle President.  All the leaders were presented with flower bouquets.  Senior most and respected leader Com. Sisir Bhattacharjee was present and addressed. Com. Mallikarjun, BSNLMS also spoke.  Even though, the time was short, Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, General Secretary, in his speech narrated the struggles organised to save Telecom Factories and against privatisation or closure.  The importance of the present verification for the future of BSNL and workers was pointed out.  The Telecom Factory leaders assured that atleast 80% will vote for BSNELU, including from other unions.