Date:03/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120351160300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Kadapa

Telecom staff stage dharna

Special Correspondent

KADAPA: National Federation of Telecom Employees staged a dharna before the BSNL general manager’s office on Tuesday with a 11-point charter of demands.

Federation’s district general secretary M. Bhanuprasad demanded grant of interim relief of Rs. 5,000 from January 1, 2007 onwards until pay revision was affected. The demands included time-bound promotion every five years by following the rule of reservation, ‘navaratna’ status to BSNL, withdrawal of pension orders, sanction of 3G spectrum to BSNL without any fee and DTH services through it.

The protesters opposed moves to garner private investment in BSNL and proposed merger of Indian Telephone Industries with BSNL. Demanding that the BSNL management negotiate with employees unions on the demands, they urged it to give up a malicious campaign against them.

NFTE State organising secretary S.Md. Ibrahim, district branch secretaries Narayana Reddy, Ch. Ranganayakulu, Seshacharyulu and S.H. Naik and employees participated.