November 14, 2007	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 03, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: The Pakistan Telecommunication Company (PTCL) claimed on Tuesday that its Collective Bargaining Agent (CBA) Union fully backed the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) offered by the management to its workers.

A statement issued by the PTCL here said the company was going to formally announce the VSS on November 15.

The statement said, in a recent meeting, SEVP HR and Administration, PTCL Ismail Taha, had briefed the representatives of CBA about the scheme that it was voluntary and non-binding. The statement added the package was agreeable to the CBA members.

The statement said that the meeting had assured CBA representatives that employees would neither be pressurised to opt for the scheme nor the union would be asked to encourage workers to do so. It informed that those going for the scheme would also benefit from the company’s Life Transitional Services programme, which covers financial transitional services, vocational training and real estate services.

However, when contacted, Rana Hassan, the central secretary general of employees union, CBA and head of VSS committee representing PTCL workers, contested the claims made by the PTCL highups.

He said, the new package was neither voluntary nor non- binding and the employees were not satisfied with it.