Misery may become a virtual synonym for state-run PSU. After seeing itself left way behind by its private counterparts in the mobile services field and increased interference in the company’s decision-making process by certain government representatives, the company is now faced by confrontation from its own people.

The All India Graduate Telecom Officers Association (AIGETOA) having over 10,000 engineers as its members have resorted to strike work starting Wednesday midnight. The association is demanding absorption of officers on deputation at DoT to the PSU and transparent human resource policy. The United Forum of BSNL Unions, which includes seven BSNL unions with 1.5 lakh non-executive employees is also supporting the strike.

The association contends that the continuation of Indian Telecom Service officers continuing in BSNL not in line with the instructions of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), which states that the deputation of government servants to any public sector undertaking should be not allowed for more than three years.

“Top executives like CMD and directors have taken a pay hike of 50-70 per cent, while the BSNL management has offered only 30 per cent pay-hike to non-executives. We are also demanding a five-year periodic wage revision with full benefits,” BSNL Employees’ Union General Secretary V A N Namboodiri

Most of the engineers on strike head the circle level or zonal offices of BSNL. Customer services and fault repairs will also be affected.

BSNL says that to ensure seamless continuation of services during the strike it has set up a control room for managing the system during the strike.

However strong the reason for strike maybe but it certainly is insensitive to the current state of the company which is witnessing dwindling revenues, profits as well as slowed down subscriber base growth even as private operators remain on a boom state. In service industry which banks on keeping customer satisfied this inconvenience will certainly not go down well with the subscribers.