Nagpur: It is 5 pm and staffers at BSNL’s central telegraph office (CTO) complex, continue to work patiently till the shift ends in another half an hour. Twelve days into March they have not been paid and there is no word of assurance either.

The stress is evident but work continues as usual at BSNL offices in city. The government owned telecom major has defaulted on salaries for February for the first time. The staffers say, since November, EMIs and insurance premium supposed to be deducted from their salaries were not passed on to the banks or LIC. Under an arrangement, employees’ loans from certain banks and premium for LIC’s polices are directly transferred by BSNL.

Accepting that withholding the dues payable to third parties can amount to fraud by the management, employees and union leaders here said they had a little choice but to not make much noise and continue working. “If there is a strike it would increase company’s losses ultimately affecting the employees’ interest,” said Manish Pandre, a leader of Sanchar Nigam Executive Association (SNEA), an association of officer cadre. Leaders of other unions agreed.

A three-day strike was held from February 18 to 20, but it was for pension and other issues. The salary default happened after that.

“There are many employees whose accounts are likely to have turned NPAs for no fault of theirs. The money was deducted from their salaries but not paid to the banks or LIC. We can file a complaint against BSNL management. But it would only worsen the matter. Most banks have leased lines from BSNL. If the word is spread that the company has defaulted, banks may discontinue BSNL services. Private compaies are waiting for the opportunity,” said Prashan Ambade from All India BSNL Employees Association (AIBN).”

“If two premiums are unpaid the insurance policy lapses, what if someone dies during this period,” he asked.

While those in middle and upper rungs can manage without a month’s salary, it is getting tougher each day for Group D staffers. Vijay Sonune, a 58-year-old Group D worker said he took home Rs 25,000 and is barely able to save Rs 2000 each month. He is the only earning member in the family. “My mother’s pension supplements the income and we can manage to carry on,” he said. There are close to 150 Group D staffers at Nagpur alone, said Pandre.

“I had to borrow to pay the home loan instalment of Rs 22,000. If they have no work no pay rule, then why not no pay no work,” questioned a young executive.

Pancham Gaikwad, also a union leader, said the All Unions’ Association of BSNL (AUAB), a joint forum of trade unions, had decided to continue working so the company’s image is not affected and finances revived.

