When alleging that they are being coerced to opt for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), BSNL employee unions have started a hunger strike on Monday. Furthermore according to the unions, contrary to IT minister ravi shankar Prasad’s remarks that opting for VRS will be purely voluntary, the BSNL management is allegedly creating a fear psychosis in the minds of the employees with regards to the reduction of retirement age, long distance transfers, increased workload, etc., thereby compelling them to take up VRS.
Reportedly in a statement, they said that employees were being forced to opt for VRS without necessary amendments to the CCS Pension Rules of 1972. Furthermore the unions demanded that necessary amendments be made to remove the hurdles in the payment of pension commutation to those who take up VRS. The statement read “Ensure the benefit of 3rd Pay Revision, when implemented retrospectively, to those who go on VRS. Do not roll back the retirement age of BSNL employees. Honor the commitment given at the time of absorption in BSNL, vide BSNL letter no. BSNL/4/SR/2000 dated 02 january, 2001, wherein it is stated, ‘Age of superannuation for all the non-Board level employees in BSNL will be regulated in accordance with government rules’".
Moreover in addition, as part of the strike, unions are also demanding that BSNL’s 4G service be launched immediately and that the third pay revision be settled without any delay. Perhaps they are also worried that those who opt for VRS will not be able to claim the benefit of the third pay revision. Perhaps BSNL had set an internal target of 77,000 employees opting for the VRS scheme, which is open till december 3. If 70,000-80,000 employees opt for VRS, BSNL will reportedly save about Rs 7,000 crore in wage bills.
