The Hindu Business Line : BSNL union gives 15 days time to resolve contract row

Even as it ended its one-day strike on Wednesday, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) employees union has given 15 days time to the Communications Ministry to resolve the cellular contract row.

The Joint Forum of BSNL Unions said that they would go on an indefinite strike if the project was not given the go-ahead within this time. “The one-day strike was only a wake up call. We will intensify the stir in case there is no action,” Mr V.A.N. Namboodiri, General Secretary, BSNL Joint Forum, told Business Line.

The Forum, meanwhile, decided to end the strike on Wednesday night after the Communication and IT Minister, Mr A. Raja, gave an assurance that the interests of the company would be safeguarded and appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that BSNL does not suffer due to lack of network capacity.

‘Strike unwarranted’

The Minister, however, termed the strike as unwarranted. “Even after all the Minister’s efforts of meeting the Union representatives personally and ensuring the assurance by the Secretary, DoT, the Joint Forum has resorted to one-day strike today for reasons best known to them. The Minister has expressed his unhappiness,” said a release from the Press Information Bureau.

The Joint Forum of BSNL Employees Union, representing 3.4 lakh employees, was spearheading the agitation to protest the delay in awarding the contract for 45.5 million cellular lines. “The strike is a success with employees from all across the country joining in. However, there was no major disruption of telecom services because of the agitation,” said Mr Namboodiri.

Huge losses

The Union said that the delay in awarding the contract was resulting in huge losses to the PSU even as private cellular operators are ramping up their network. BSNL’s cellular project had run into rough weather after Mr Raja questioned the decision to disqualify Motorola. The Minister also wants BSNL to remove the 3G equipment from the contract to bring down the price to under $100. Ericsson, which had emerged as the lowest bidder by quoting $107, has refused to lower the price any further.

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