May 1 is celebrated as International Workers' Day or Labour Day world over. Labour has become a broad term encompassing all employees of private sector, public sector, government undertakings and government institutions and organisations contrasting with their management. As one who has worked in a government-funded institution which follows the Govt of India's rules 'mutatis mutandis' for nearly 40 years, I would like to record some of my thoughts on Labour and Management.
When an organization grows, especially when its workforce grows in numbers, labour problem creeps in. Generally, when the labour is strong and united and have a registered union, more often than not they misuse their strength, resort to arm-twisting, put up impossible demands, go on strike at the slightest provocation, even turn violent beating up people and destroying property. Votebank politics will not permit any politician to antagonise labour; so they start fishing in troubled waters.
When there are more than one union, inter-union rivalry leads to lot of trouble and the relationship between labour and management worsens.
On the other hand, when the management is strong and has the support of the government either explicit or implicit, with the labour weak or not so strong, the management misuses its power, tries to suppress any union movement and ill-treats its workforce.
In short, it seems labour and management are always at the throat of each other. There seems to be no balance. It is a curse plaguing many organisations, especially industries.
I would like to refer to one company where for want of this balance the company closed down many of its operations, leading to loss of jobs for the workforce not only of the company but its ancillary units and thus affecting prosperity of the town. It was a major automobile company employing thousands of people. Everybody was paid reasonably well, compared to other companies. The company extended a lot of facilities and benefits to the workforce. The workers of that company were the envy of their counterparts in other companies. Everything was going on well till trade unions came up and politicians entered the fray posing as champions of labour. The unions were itching to fight with the management on flimsiest grounds. They started putting up impossible demands. Naturally when the management was not able to accede their demands, there was strike. The strike turned violent and there was bloodshed. There was lockout for some time. The Govt tried to negotiate. Prudently, the company decided to prune its labour strength by curtailing its operations and people started losing jobs. Most of the auxiliary units supporting the company also had to close down, resulting in further loss of jobs. Unemployment grew. The prosperity of the community suffered. The town started declining.
Many problems between Labour and Management can be solved by mutual trust. Bad relationship between them is due to fear and suspicion. When third parties like politicians enter the fray things deteriorate; the politicians always try to manipulate Labour for their own selfish ends.
Why can't the Labour and the Management be reasonable and realize that the welfare, nay survival of the one depends on the other. Why can't Labour and Management tackle their problems themselves, without allowing self-serving politicians to enter the arena? What needs to be done to foster better relationship and mutual trust between Labour and Management?
These are some questions Labour and Management have to ask themselves.
Detailed article on "May Day" from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day
Grateful thanks to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
When an organization grows, especially when its workforce grows in numbers, labour problem creeps in. Generally, when the labour is strong and united and have a registered union, more often than not they misuse their strength, resort to arm-twisting, put up impossible demands, go on strike at the slightest provocation, even turn violent beating up people and destroying property. Votebank politics will not permit any politician to antagonise labour; so they start fishing in troubled waters.
When there are more than one union, inter-union rivalry leads to lot of trouble and the relationship between labour and management worsens.
On the other hand, when the management is strong and has the support of the government either explicit or implicit, with the labour weak or not so strong, the management misuses its power, tries to suppress any union movement and ill-treats its workforce.
In short, it seems labour and management are always at the throat of each other. There seems to be no balance. It is a curse plaguing many organisations, especially industries.
I would like to refer to one company where for want of this balance the company closed down many of its operations, leading to loss of jobs for the workforce not only of the company but its ancillary units and thus affecting prosperity of the town. It was a major automobile company employing thousands of people. Everybody was paid reasonably well, compared to other companies. The company extended a lot of facilities and benefits to the workforce. The workers of that company were the envy of their counterparts in other companies. Everything was going on well till trade unions came up and politicians entered the fray posing as champions of labour. The unions were itching to fight with the management on flimsiest grounds. They started putting up impossible demands. Naturally when the management was not able to accede their demands, there was strike. The strike turned violent and there was bloodshed. There was lockout for some time. The Govt tried to negotiate. Prudently, the company decided to prune its labour strength by curtailing its operations and people started losing jobs. Most of the auxiliary units supporting the company also had to close down, resulting in further loss of jobs. Unemployment grew. The prosperity of the community suffered. The town started declining.
Many problems between Labour and Management can be solved by mutual trust. Bad relationship between them is due to fear and suspicion. When third parties like politicians enter the fray things deteriorate; the politicians always try to manipulate Labour for their own selfish ends.
Why can't the Labour and the Management be reasonable and realize that the welfare, nay survival of the one depends on the other. Why can't Labour and Management tackle their problems themselves, without allowing self-serving politicians to enter the arena? What needs to be done to foster better relationship and mutual trust between Labour and Management?
These are some questions Labour and Management have to ask themselves.
Detailed article on "May Day" from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day
Grateful thanks to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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