Great Victory! BSNL C.O. issued orders for EPF Payment to Casual labours from 01-10-2000

Great Victory! BSNL C.O. issued orders for EPF Payment to Casual labours from 01-10-2000

It is a great victory for the BSNLCCWF and the casual and contract workers! 

The Federation as well as BSNLEU has been demanding that for the casual and contract workers EPF should be implemented from at least 01-10-2000. After much efforts, the BSNL Management had implemented EPF for casual workers from 10-01-2011. In many places EPF was not implemented to the contract workers.

These along many other issues were taken by the BSNL Casual & Contract Workers Federation with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour and also the Central Provident Fund Commissioner, New Delhi. The representatives gave detailed evidence before Parliamentary Standing Committee with full documents. The EPF Commissioner held meeting with the President BSNLCCWF and Officers of BSNL on this. Accordingly the EPF Commissioner (Central) issued a strong letter dated 22-04-2015 to BSNL asking them to implement EPF to casual labours w.e.f.01-10-2000 (the date of formation of BSNL) retrospectively. It was also directed that wherever, EPF is not implemented for contract workers, it should be implemented as per EPF Act.

Now today, 18-05-2015, the BSNL C.O. has issued the orders directing the CGMs to immediately take action for implementing EPF for casual labours w.e.f. 01-10-2000 and also implement EPF for contract workers, wherever it is not implemented so far. Not only the EPF contributions will be made by BSNL management, but interest also will have to be paid, which will benefit the workers. The EPF with  retrospective effect from 2000 will benefit the existing 3469 casual labours.

The mammoth CMD Office March on 15th October 2014  and the Two Days Strike on 21-22 April 2015 by the Casual & Contract Workers have not been in vain. At least one of the important demands has been settled.

It is a land mark victory for the casual and contract workers! Congratulations to all our comrades who stood strongly with the organisation and participated in the struggles!