Pics: Prajwal Ukkuda
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SMK/MSP)

Mangalore May 28: The employees of BSNL, under the banner of the Joint Forum of BSNL Unions, Associations of Non - Executives and Executives of  Mangalore telecom district, organized a day-long dharna in front of the Telecom House in Pandeshwar in the city on Wednesday May 28, protesting against the injustice meted out to the employees by the BSNL management by not merging 50% of  IDA with the basic pay, although the union government had given its consent for this arrangement long back.

Almost 80 employees of BSNL participated in the said dharna, without disturbing the smooth functioning of the office, in tune with the one-day nation-wide strike call given  by their unions. 

District secretary of BSNLEU DK Telecom district Venugopal Nambiar informed that the union decided to call for national-level strike, as the management failed to affect merger of 50% IDA with basic pay despite repeated demands by the Forum,  for recording their dissent for the undue delay in its implementation.. 

He also stated, that the national-level Forum might resort to stronger forms of protest in the coming days, if the management does not heed to their just demands even now.

Other office-bearers of the Forum also participated in the dharna.