I started my second semester in SCMHRD with a HR elective, Labour
Law – I. The postfix helped serve as an indicator or rather warning that there
would be sequels to this intriguing subject in the forthcoming semesters.
To gain a better perspective and to calm my nerves, I met
with a friend, who was the HR Manager at a local factory. There I was sitting
in the comforts of his office discussing Industrial Relations and Factory HR,
when he suddenly suggested that I meet with the Union Leader and get his inputs
on the topic.
Images of the recent Manesar incident coupled with horror
stories of gheraos and strikes filled my head. I hesitated and frantically
started making excuses of how I was not prepared to meet him as I had limited
knowledge on the subject and so on. My stereotyped image of union leaders and
perception of them being big, burly men who were aggressive, always on the edge
had a major contribution to my reaction. However, all my perceptions and
thoughts were over ruled and a meeting was scheduled on the same day.
I was armed with only a word of advice, a statement that is
posted outside every NHRDN conference “Leave your ego at the door”. I read through
the labor laws in haste, hoping I wouldn’t have to discuss any of it. Upon
entering the meeting room, my eyes darted to the uniformed man. I realized that
I had seen him in the morning working on one of the machines. He was indeed one
of the permanent workers of the factory, an elected representative of the other
workmen. Unlike my earlier notion, Mr. Srinivas* was a calm, well-spoken and
friendly man.
We were introduced to each other and Srinivas was given a
brief that I was working on a IR project for college and wanted to gather his
inputs for the same. I was surprised when he greeted me as “Ma
dam”. Here, was a person who was almost twice my age but didn’t let that come in the way of being humble and respectful. Once we exchanged pleasantries, I stammered as I asked my first question, “How did you come to be a Union leader?”, he seemed hesitant to answer not because he was uncomfortable with the question, but he was working on answering the question in English.
dam”. Here, was a person who was almost twice my age but didn’t let that come in the way of being humble and respectful. Once we exchanged pleasantries, I stammered as I asked my first question, “How did you come to be a Union leader?”, he seemed hesitant to answer not because he was uncomfortable with the question, but he was working on answering the question in English.
I realized my folly and asked him if he would like to
converse in Telugu (regional language of Andhra Pradesh). His eyes gleamed with
delight and he exclaimed Yes! Conversing in the mother tongue, certainly helped
break the ice. My nervousness was long forgotten as the meeting progressed.
Srinivas had been working with the present company for the
last 10 years, prior to this he worked at a neighboring factory for 6 years.
The union leader election was held every 2 years and he was one among 13 union
leaders elected by his peers. He explained how being a union leader was a
journey for him and is not just a post, as most view it to be. More often than
not, his colleagues would look up to him for guidance or advice on issues, and
this prompted him to stand for elections in order to serve them better. He went
on further to explain the hierarchy of the trade union and labour department.
The Ex-Governor of Andhra Pradesh was the President of the Trade Union that
Srinivas belonged to.
I was curious to know what a day in a union leader’s life
entailed. Srinivas invited me to the shop floor to literally walk me through
his day. After completing the mandatory safety procedures, we entered the
factory and I watched while Srinivas went and greeted his co-workers like I
would’ve at work. His day began earlier than his allocated shift time, in order
to meet and talk to the factory workers. Issues that usually came to him were related
to the mess food, medical reimbursements or queries regarding leave. In the IT
sector, where I previously worked these were the issues that would typically be
routed to the HR Executive, I wondered aloud “Why would the workers prefer to
go to the union leader rather than the HR? Were HR managers that
unapproachable?” The answer is No, workers preferred to go to the union leader
as it was more convenient and they shared a peer-to-peer relationship with him.
The HR manager was valued and respected by the workers. The union leader would
try his best to resolve the issues/queries that he knew of, collate the other
issues and bring them to the notice of the Factory HR Manager later in the day.
This process was actually more efficient and time saving for the workers and
the management.
My eyes darted to a nearby Notice Board filled with colorful
photographs of sports and cultural events. My next question was about Employee
Engagement and its impact on factory workers. Birthdays, Family Day, Diwali,
Sports Day and other festivities were celebrated with much aplomb at the
factory. I spoke to a few workers on the floor; they told me how they looked
forward to these special occasions and enjoyed interacting with the management
in an informal setting. The initiatives undertaken by the company helped foster
a sense of belonging and pride among its employees.
The XYZ Management was unlike the one Srinivas had
encountered in his previous organization. He recalled a gherao incident, where
the workers locked up the Factory manager and HR for not paying their wages an
entire month. This revelation made me nervous, after all I was studying to be a
HR until he made me realize that the worker’s livelihood was dependent on those
very wages and that they were the victims in the incident. What struck me was
the importance of having a framework of principles in place to ensure humaneness
and fair treatment of employees. It is important to put yourself in another’s
shoes to understand the impact of the situation and take decisions accordingly.
*Name changed
Published in NHRD October 2013 Newsletter, Link: https://www.nationalhrd.org/sites/default/files/newsletter/files/NHRD%20Oct%20-%20Copy%5bsmallpdf.com%5d.pdf
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