More than two lakh BSNL employees will go on strike on 11 and 12 December 2008, demanding wage revision, the grant of interim relief and other long-pending requirements. The strike call is being made by the United Forum of BSNL Unions.

The wage revision for BSNL employees has been due for the last two years. The central government employees have already received the revised wages, based on the recommendations of VI Central Pay Commission with effect from 01. 01. 2007. For the executives in central Public Sector Undertakings, the government has accepted the recommendations of the II Pay Revision Committee. But for the 2,40,000 non-executives in BSNL, not even negotiations for wage revision have started.

The BSNL employees union`s demand for an interim relief of Rs 3,000 has also been rejected by the management. In the normal course, interim relief is granted when there is a delay in the finalisation of wage revision from the due date. 

The employees are also protesting about the delay in issuing orders for the promotion policy of the non-executives, which has already been agreed upon by the management and the unions.

Under these circumstances when the government and the management are silent, despite persistent demands, the United Forum of BSNL unions has decided to go on a two-day strike on the 11th and 12th December 2008. Massive dharnas will be organised in all districts on 5 December 2008 as a prelude to the strike. The BSNL employees unions want the government and the BSNL management to hold discussions with them and concede to their demands so that a confrontation can be avoided.