The proposed strike on 5 January 2006 by the BSNL employees, in response to a call given by the Joint Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations, was deferred after a written agreement with the Secretary DOT (Department of Telecommunication) and BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.) management on 4 January 2006.

The call for a strike was given to protest the proposed disinvestments in BSNL and against all the wrong policies and decisions of the government and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The Joint Forum was protesting the government`s initiative to increase the current 49 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Telecom to 74 per cent. One among the major demands of the Forum was to grant Navaratna status to BSNL.

The government, as well as the management, which initially took a lukewarm attitude to the notice for strike, was finally compelled to negotiate and concede to the nine-point charter of demands of the Joint Forum. Although the strike notice was served on 2 December 2005, the management had not cared to have a discussion with the unions. Later, the Regional Labour Commissioner had called for a conciliation meeting on 2 January 2006 which went on for the next two days but was futile. On 4 February 2006, around 7.30 p.m., the government called the unions again for negotiation. There were heated discussion and arguments, after which a written assurance was given.

The assurance clearly stated that there is no proposal of disinvestments in BSNL and that all efforts will be made for granting Navaratna Status to BSNL. It also stated that the unbundling of local loop will not be considered. Another major assurance was that the views of the unions would be duly considered as and when the Draft Telecom Policy is formulated.

“It is the complete unity of all the unions and associations and the determination of the workers that forced the management to accept our demands”, says V.A.N. Namboodiri, the General Secretary of the BSNL Employees Union. The unions consider the assurance as a great victory for the BSNL workers because they could prove that that even government policy can be resisted and changed with a unified and determined struggle by the people. While hailing the positive move of the government, the unions have, however, asked the BSNL employees to remain prepared for any struggle that might have to be launched at a later stage to safeguard the interests of the employees.