AITUC state president flays NDA policies on labour, unemployment
AITUC state president Ravulapalli Ravindranath speaking at 3rd NFTE AP Circle Conference in Ongole on Sunday
Ongole: AITUC state president Ravulapalli Ravindranath has strongly criticised the BJP government’s approach to labour and employment policies.
He participated as chief guest in the third circle conference of the National Federation of Telecom Employees (NFTE) Andhra Pradesh branch held at Mallaiah Lingam Bhavan in Ongole on Sunday.
Speaking at the event chaired by Pendyala Anjaneyu, Ravindranath highlighted that BSNL, the second-largest employer after Railways, has seen deteriorating job security under BJP rule. He contrasted this with previous governments’ support for the public sector, including bank nationalisation. He pointed to several concerns, including declining pension benefits and reducing the workforce through VRS schemes. He questioned why BSNL wasn’t receiving the same support for 4G services as private telecom companies.
He criticised the consolidation of 42 labour laws into four labour codes, arguing this has weakened workers’ rights to unionise, strike, and raise grievances.
NFTE National General Secretary Chandeshwar Singh spoke about the challenges faced by telecom employees in adapting to rapid technological changes while dealing with job security concerns.
BSNL AP Circle CGM M Sesachalam addressed the gathering, noting that job security remains strongest in the public sector.
He announced that BSNL is ready to launch 4G services at 403 locations across the state and emphasized the company’s rapid growth in the telecom sector.
BSNL officials and union representatives from across the state participated in the programme.