BSNL staff to go on strike from April 20

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Telecom services of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) will be affected from April 20 as 300,000 of its employees, including executives, have decided to go on an indefinite strike in protest against divestment in the state-run company.

The employees unions are against the BSNL management's decision to accept the Sam Pitroda Committee Report which favours 30 per cent divestment in the company and voluntary retirement for 100,000 employees.

The strike call has been given by a joint forum of unions that has both executives and non-executives as members.

"Earlier we had decided to observe a full-day strike on April 20. But now we have decided to go on an indefinite strike from April 20 as the management is not paying any attention to our demands. The telecom services will definitely get affected," V.A.N. Namboodiri, the forum convenor, told IANS.

BSNL workers will also protest at their office here March 26, he added.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had set up in January last the Pitroda panel, with HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh and Telecom Secretary P.J. Thomas among its members, to review the functioning of the company and suggest ways to improve its financial health.

©IANS