BKNK

[Virtual Presenter] Good morning everyone, Today, we will be taking a look at the journey of Food Corporation of India's (FCI) trade union, BKNK, over the past 40 years. We will learn about the challenges and successes that it has faced, and how it has impacted the lives of employees in the food industry. We will also be taking a look at how BKNK has worked to fight for its members and how they continue to strive for greater representation and better working conditions..

[Audio] FCI was established in 1964 under the Food Corporation's Act with its first headquarters in Chennai. On January 14, 1965, the first office of the FCI was inaugurated in Thanjavur, along with the launch of the first digital food museum. This office was located in the South Zone..

[Audio] In 1966, our organization achieved food sufficiency. Between 1970-71, there was an increase in recruitment. In 1971-72, our organization's first direct recruitment was located in Jaipur. Some of these direct recruitments were declared surplus and had to be retrenched. Finally, in 1974, our organization was ready to move forward..

[Audio] Trade union activities in FCI remain an integral part of the organization. This is a vital step in preserving the rights and interests of every employee employed within the business. Trade union serves as support for any collective contract between employers and employees, and furthermore, is essential in providing a secure, healthy and safe environment for our staff. It assists in the assurance of a prosperous job market and strong wages, as well as favourable working conditions for future generations. Ultimately, by advocating for improved wages, safer working atmosphere, and secure job opportunities, the trade union allows for the partaking in a larger goal: to create a better future for the entire organization..

[Audio] Our organization was formed in 1974 by the merger of two major unions - the All India Central Food Employees Association and the FCI Employees Union. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of our members and representing them in order to guarantee they receive the rewards they deserve..

[Audio] Slide 6 is all about the efforts our Trade Union has made over time, and the major goals they have achieved. The Union’s strength lies in our combined effort to serve all members of our organization with fairness and dignity. With our collective bargaining power, we are able to ensure that our rights and interests are represented and that all members of our organization are treated fairly and equally. Our Trade Union has been able to negotiate better wages, safer working conditions and better benefits for all members of our organization. Our efforts have resulted in more job security and a stronger voice in our organization. Together, we can continue to achieve great things for our organization and our members!.

[Audio] Slide 7 introduces our organization and our trade union. In 1975, during the Emergency, trade union movements were stopped and registrations were cancelled. This led to stagnation and the start of the Jail Bharo Andolan. IAS officer, Mr. Dabara, implemented the rule of Defence of Rights on Employees (DRI) to protect the rights of workers and to ensure their fair treatment in 1973. This ultimately resulted in samjhota, which saw the reversion of Class IV employees from South Zone and their recruitment again..

[Audio] Slide 8 focuses on the revival of the trade union movement following the Hindu Maha Sabha Conference. 5000 employees from across the country attended this conference and 25 employees from the FCI were dismissed under Section 19. The trade union was re-energized and in 1978, an agitation was started at 7 Race Course Road, Delhi. This was a great moment in the revival of the trade union movement, and a step closer to more rights and protection for workers in India..

[Audio] Slide 9 is about our organization's achievements. Recently, we started recruitment again. We also changed our staff norms to match the post-emergency era. On top of that, we reinstated 25 employees with all official benefits due to them. This was a great success for us and it demonstrates our commitment to our staff and the values of our organization..

[Audio] The slide provides an introduction to the Bhartiya Khadya Nigam Karamchari Sangh, which is represented by its logo. It is a trade union for the food services industry in India that is focused on protecting employees and encouraging fair and sustainable practices. Founded many years ago, it now has a large membership of workers and businesses in the food services sector..

[Audio] The BKNK Sangh was formed in 1977 as an affiliated body of the FCI Employees Union (North Zone) and was officially registered in July of that year, gaining recognition at a national level. Now, they are an important part of our organization and the trade union movement..

[Audio] This slide discusses the achievements of BKNK, which was a result of the agitation that started in 1984-85-86 for the central government employee. This agitation was due to the fact that the Dearness Allowance was not given to the FCI in 1980. As a result of the agitation, wage revision was done in 1986-87 which was effective from 1983. This was followed by another wage revision in 1987, which was settled in 1990. During this entire process, four major trade unions were part of the Joint Action Concern banner. Through these efforts, BKNK was successful in achieving various milestones..

[Audio] In 1992, a wage revision was settled with all wages being achieved under the leadership of the Joint Action Committee. Between 1987-88, 1997, and 2007-2017, Sh. M C Tyagi served as the General Secretary of our trade union. His leadership and hard work enabled our trade union to make tremendous progress in terms of wages revision..

[Audio] The Double OTA, a term first introduced in 1995-96 by the Central Government Congress, was aimed at reducing employees. In 2004, this policy was met with opposition and demonstration at Parliament. To address this, voluntary retirement schemes were implemented, granting up to 9000 employees the option to opt out..

[Audio] Our trade union has accomplished a remarkable feat in cancelling the exit policy and making sure the Mac Kanzee Committee's recommendations are respected. This committee, comprising no more than 50 people from ZO, had its report ignored, yet our trade union has done exceptionally well in bringing the exit policy to a close..

[Audio] Our organization consists of 50000 individuals, divided into three categories - Category I, Category III and Category IV. We conducted a time and motion study to assess the most efficient norms for our andolan. To ensure the trade union's input was taken into consideration, we consulted with them as part of this process. This slide provides an overview of our organization and the relevant trade union..

[Audio] This slide covers the important milestone of our organization and it's trade union activities that happened between 2007-2008 and 2010. In 2007-2008 all the activities proposed by the organization and it's trade union were ultimately accepted. And in 2010 recruitment process for the organization was again started. We look forward to a bright future..

2007 Pension scheme PRMS 2017 Marvelous wage revision was received – No. 1 in PSU sector Cafeteria & fringe benefits were out of total benefit.

[Audio] Unions have been a crucial force in our organization, allowing us to achieve better terms and conditions of employment, along with higher wages, retirement benefits, and other forms of compensation. However, unions still have an integral role in advancing our working rights, and it is vital that we sustain this effort by backing our union representatives..

[Audio] We can create a powerful force by uniting together, and that is something we have seen since the start of human history. When we band together, we create a collective interest that is larger than just our own. This can lead to real change in our industry and in the world as a whole. I'm hoping that after this presentation, you will appreciate the importance of working together to achieve our goals..

[Audio] Our organization is a leading member of this industry and has been at the forefront of innovation and progress for many years. We have a strong commitment to providing a safe, equitable and rewarding working environment for all of our members. Our trade union always strives for a fair and equitable system that provides a level playing field for all workers and stands up for their rights. As we reach the end of this presentation, we are proud to introduce you to our organization and trade union that we are part of. We are committed to social justice and equality for all. Thank you for your attention..