Terminated casual and contract workers gherao BSNL GM’s office

GANGTOK, 19 Dec: Disgruntled BSNL casual and contract workers from all over the State, upset with their sudden dismissal from service, gheraoed the office of the General Manager, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Arvind Bajaj, at Baluakhani here this morning seeking “direct answers” regarding what they see as their ‘illegal’ termination from service and demanding their pending wages.
Some of the employees who had gathered here have claimed that they have not been paid their wages since July earlier this year and that all these employees have been out-rightly denied clearance of any contractual wages by the BSNL, General Manager.
The flaring tempers were however brought under control after it was conveyed to the picketing employees that the GM was out of station and only after the DGM, SK Samantha asked the ‘terminated’ staff to give the GM’s office three days time starting today to look into their charter of demands. The workers are presently being backed by hundreds of other employees working at BSNL, C&D Group Union, Listed Employees Union and the Executive Union.
“If the demands are not looked into and we are not taken seriously then we will sit on an indefinite hunger strike because this is our bread and butter, our families depend on these wages. We also warn that if any untoward situation happens then the GM will be solely responsible,” stated Mani Raj Rai who has been working in the accounts section since 2005.
The demands of the employees are that all the terminated employees be reinstated and employed either under contractual basis or regularization keeping in view their service record and the tenure of their service. The employees have demanded ‘Job security’ and want BSNL to ensure that all guidelines as prescribed by the GoI related to pay scale and other benefits for casual and contractual workers be followed without ‘monopolizing’ the administrative structure.  
The protesting employees contend that around 75 personnel working in different sections including security and BTS maintenance are being allegedly ‘victimized’ by the new GM who took over office just seven months back. At present, a total of 22 employees like Gombu Sherpa who has been with BSNL as a gardener for the past 23 years have been terminated from service wef 15 November without prior intimation or a formal notice. The employees believe that a total of 75 employees will be similarly terminated in the State in a phased manner.
As per the employees, the BSNL administration is using a ‘divide and rule’ strategy by removing employees in phases. The agenda as informed by the workers is that BSNL is doing this to avoid a larger controversy and divert the entire issue.  
“We have come here to get answers from the senior officers as they have not taken our matter seriously and have been continuously sidelining our legitimate demands. We want to add that if the GM keeps on ignoring us like this then it will be he who will be responsible for any untoward consequences,” stated Mani Raj Rai.
“We have no alternative source of income and are completely dependent on these wages. Due to this frustration, many of the workers might resort to committing suicide or act in an unlawful manner,” argued Pema Lhamu Sherpa who has been working at BSNL for the past 12 years.
The workers also allege that the GM has still not met with the workers and has only corresponded through the DGM. They further state that the reason cited by BSNL to terminate these workers was because BSNL did not have any funds available and that the West Bengal circle that has 16 SSA (including Sikkim) is running at a loss.
“This is a big lie since as of now no employee has been terminated in other SSA elsewhere. It is only Sikkim where this is happening. The reason of non-availability of funds is also wrong since I work in the accounts section and know what the books state,” stated Mani Raj Rai.
In the meantime, the workers are waiting for the GM with whom they want to speak directly regarding the matter since he has been allegedly ignoring the pleas of the workers for over a month now.
The workers in the meantime have also written to the Labour Department, GoI regarding the issue with copies of the same directed to the Chief Minister, both Sikkim MPs, Minister Labour department, Ministry of Telecommunications, GoI, SP (East), CGM, WBT Circle, Labour Department, GoI, Circle Secretary, WBT Circle, District Secretary, BSNLEU and Casual Labour Union, BSNL.