TELECOM EXECUTIVES ASSOCIATION OF MTNL (CHQ)

SECOND CONFERENCE OF TEAM HELD IN DELHI ON 10/04/2008

 RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED

             The Representative Council Meeting of TEAM was held on 10/04/2008. The following resolutions were adopted unanimously in the meeting after exhaustive deliberations on various issues.

 BOOSTING OF REVENUES AND PROFITS OF MTNL :-

1. It is resolved to request the Management to consider the following suggestions for improving the revenues and profits.

1.1 ) All kinds of assets of MTNL such as Land , Building, A&P, Cables and Manpower be gainfully employed.

1.2)  Land and Buildings :- All the vacant lands be leased out for construction and renting out of commercial complexes. Leasing out of say a minimum of 10% of the Carpet  area in the existing buildings will fetch a few hundreds of crores of rupees per year, Commercial hoardings and advertisements be allowed in MTNL Buildings.  

1.3)  The manpower in MTNL be regarded as a resource of asset.  Continuous and compulsory training for upgradation of skills and knowledge of the employees be undertaken. Moreover the employees be encouraged in the form of lump sum cash incentives and additional increments for acquiring qualifications in technical, managerial and finance fields.

2) The following measures be taken to boost the revenues through services :-

2.1) MTNL has very good image in the market in broad band.  All out efforts be made to augment additional capacity of ten lakhs each in Mumbai and Delhi within a year.  Installation of RSUs / RLUs, if required, be done to enhance the quality and coverage area of broad band.

2.2) The landline is becoming premium service and is considered as reliable and more value added mode of communication.  Therefore adequate investments be made in laying fibres / cables and it be ensured that the next generation landline is available in every nook and corner of Mumbai and Delhi.

2.3) Quality handsets bundled with low entry cost by tying up with popular handsets manufacturers be offered to boost the sale of CDMA. Arrangement be made to offer roaming facility in CDMA. 

2.4) In wireless, there are many untapped revenue streams. GPRS roaming, EDGE data cards, mobile connect USB modem, mobile data VPN, fixed tgerminal GSM PCO, GSM CCB PCO, GSM calling cards for STD and ISD, home calling cards for use while roaming out of India etc., some of the untapped revenue streams. These revenue resources be tapped early.

2.5) The quality and the coverage of net work of GSM & CDMA be improved by utilizing modern tools and acquiring more sites.

3)     The following measures be taken to exert control over the expenditure:-

3.1)  Recently AMC has been given for maintenance of Exchanges.  This involves crores of rupees expenditure in Mumbai and Delhi.  This work had been managed smoothly until recently by our own officers and staff.  All the existing AMCs be reviewed and those AMCs be revoked wherever our officers and staff can handle the maintenance. Training be imparted for this purpose if need be.

3.2)  MTNL is one of the biggest consumer of Electricity.  Arrangements be made with the Electricity Companies to avail discounts and concesional tariff.  Energy Audit be undertaken annually to suggest measures to plug leakages in consumption.

IMPROVEMENT IN SERVICE CONDITIONS :-

4) It is resolved to request the Management to consider the following issues favourably and to take appropriate measures immediately.

5) Pension issue:- The issue of pension payment by Government be pursued vigorously by MTNL with DoT.

6.1) Recognition of TEAM:- TEAM be recognised immediately as TEAM is the integrated Association of all the erstwhile DoT recognised Associations which were having all the trade union facilities. BSNL has long back  recognised such Associations.

6.2) Majority unions of non executives are consulted on various issues concerning the employees. Service rules, bonus etc., are common issues both to non executives and executives. It is unfair to impose the decisions on the Executives, which were taken in consultations only with the unions of non executives. Therefore TEAM be consulted in all such issues concerning Executives.

7) Merger of 50% of DA with Pay and pension :- DPE has issued orders long back for merger of 50% of DA with pay.  Many PSUs including BSNL have already taken the follow up action to implement the same.  Board resolution be passed immediately to merge 50% DA with pay and pension.

8) Promotion policy:-

8.1) Orders for relaxation of training condition for drawal of next increment on time bound promotion be issued immediately.

8.2) All the adhoc promotions in E-5 be regularised from the date of adhoc promotion.

8.3) All the vacant posts up to E-6 be filled up on regular basis by holding DPCs. In the meanwhile E-6 pay scale be given for the looking after arrangements in E-6. 

8.4) Weightage for past services and reducing the span be considered for time bound financial upgradation.

9. Absorption of Group A Officers: -  For speedy decision making and spirited implementation of  projects, absorption of Group A officers in MTNL is essential.  The issue be taken up with DOT earnestly.

10. Restructuring in Hindi Officer cadres:  The restructuring is pending for last 10 years and officers are officiating in higher cadres for about 13 years.  The restructuring be done early giving effect to the same from the date of absorption.

11. Restructuring in the cadres of Civil/Electrical : - The restructuring has been done giving effect from different dates of adoption of recruitment rules leading to anomalies. The date of effect of restructuring be given from 01.10.2000 for all the cadres uniformally.

12. Medical Facilities to Retired Employees : - The Medical Reimbursement for Indoor treatment has been withdrawn in an arbitrary manner without making arrangement for alternative scheme.  The alternative scheme be implemented immediately and the claims during the intervening period be admitted.

13) Transport allowance:- The transport allowance was reduced from Rs.800/- to Rs.750/- in an arbitrary manner from 01/10/2000. The cut in transport allowance be restored immediately. The transport cost in Mumbai and Delhi are the highest in India. Sixth pay commission has recently recommended transport allowance of Rs. 3200/- plus DA thereon. It is quite likely that the PSU pay committee also will recommend the same. Therefore pending implementation of PSU pay committee report, the transport allowance be increased to Rs. 2000/- p.m. on adhoc basis.

14) Security of GPF money:- Rule 37-A of Pension Rules do not prescribe any special provisions to BSNL absorbed employees regarding GPF. However BSNL remits the GPF deposits net of withdrawals to DOT whereas MTNL transfers the net to ‘MTNL GPF Trust’. The ‘MTNL GPF Trust be immediately dissolved and the net GPF deposit be remitted to DOT.

15) Protection of all the increments earned in CDA while fixing pay in IDA :- Due to shorter span in E-4 IDA scale compared to the corresponding CDA scale, the increments drawn beyond 12^th stage in CDA could not be protected in IDA while fixation in IDA scale on absorption. To solve this issue the E-4 IDA scale be lengthened.

16) Criteria for TA /LTC entitlement :- As per Government rules the basic pay is  the criterion for class of journey for TA/LTC and daily allowance entitlements. In MTNL, earlier the criterion was the grade. But now as per the revised MTNL TA/LTC rules the criterion is the pay scale. This adversely affects those who are holding the grade on looking after basis without getting the pay scale of that grade. The criterion be revised as grade of the post held.

17) Perks on Quarters:- Tax arises on the value of perks on quarters occupied by the employees. However while calculating the value of perks the HRA loss to the employees is not considered though income tax rules do not specify the exclusion of HRA while valuing the perks. The HRA loss be reduced from the gross value of the perks.

18) Perks on par with BSNL :- BSNL studied the issue by appointing a committee and granted perks based on the report of the committee after discussions with the unions and Associations. MTNL can simply adopt the decisions of BSNL regarding perks and implement them.

19) STD to all service residential land lines of Executives :- The STD tariff has come down drastically and hence free STD facility be provided to Service Residential connections of all the Executives. 

20) STD with roaming and GPRS be provided to all service mobile connections. The executives will have the feel of GPRS and VAS and will propagate these services to the public besides giving feed back about these services.

21) The cut in salary for three days imposed on the active members of TEAM due to participation in the protest action be restored.

ORGANISATION ISSUES

22) It is resolved unanimously to amend the constitution of TEAM as under:-

10/04/2008                                                                     (K. JAWAHAR)

                                                                                    PRESIDENT