Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) Employees have demonstrated a protest at Sanchar Bhawan in New Delhi, demanding clarity on their future and employment amid the ongoing integration of MTNL services into Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL).
Employees protesting under the banner of MTNL Mazdoor Sangh and MTNL Executives Association have alleged that the BSNL was supposed to manage the services; but it has encroached the MTNL and shifted its around 700 crore revenue from MTNL to BSNL, leaving the MTNL with zero revenue and 3000 employees whose employment is uncertain.
Speaking to Tehelka.com, RP Tiwari, working president, MTNL mazdoor Sangh said,“On Jan 2025, all services of MTNL were shifted to BSNL, leaving around 3000 employees of MTNL in limbo. We have been getting half salary with zero perks which we used to get. There are people here who are yet to complete their 15 years tenure in the company, but now there is nowhere to go.”
On asking about the roadmap for the re-employment into BSNL, Tiwari said, “There is no formal information or assurance from any of the officials about our future and employment. Even as services are being moved, employees are being left behind in an empty-shell MTNL, a company has no revenue, only assets and loan liabilities.”
The unions say employee morale is collapsing, citing suspended HR benefits like promotions, financial upgrades and career progression opportunities.
A key demand is the withdrawal of a DoT order dated March 11, 2025, which unions claim disrupts existing employee entitlements.
Meanwhile the government has assured that it is actively assessing the plans for employees impacted by the transition.
