All set for telecom strike

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 23. With the mandatory conciliatory proceedings failing on Tuesday, the stage was all set for a two-day telecom strike. The National Action Committee against Telecom Corporatisation, basically a conglomeration of pro-CPI(M) unions, today claimed the support of three lakh telecom workers against the Government's move to restructure the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

According to officials, the strike would affect customer care centers in some cities, but was unlikely to hamper telecom services. No impact is likely in Mumbai and Delhi as telecom operations in these metros were corporatised well over a decade back and, therefore, restructuring was not an issue for MTNL employees.

With corporatisation and the resulting change in service conditions emerging as a major issue for employees, officials keenly await the response to the strike call. On the other hand, in a bid to safeguard their support base from being poached by pro-CPI (M) unions, the three recognised telecom federations have also given an indefinite strike call at a later date. While not opposing corporatisation, the federations have demanded that the Government first settle the service conditions before undertaking any restructuring.

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Section  : National
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