“WINNING HEARTS, NOT BY CLUBS.”

Around mid ‘60s there was a great turbulence in the Trade Union movement in our country. There was very little dialogue between management and the Unions then. Communication was mostly through slogan shouting, by workers and show-cause notices, from management.
The preconceived notions about each other, were skewed. Each one doubting the motives and moves of the other.
I was working as a Commercial Manager, in an Italian company in Aurangabad.
We used to buy drill-bits from a medium scale industrialist, HENRY Hamilton. He had his unit, manufacturing drill-bits and other special tooling in one of the MIDCs in Thane region. There was a virulent labour-dispute in his unit and the production was at 25% of normal. I was worried about the continuity of supplies from him.
During my meeting with him on the status of supplies, he was bragging continuously about his physical prowess, and how he always had an upper hand while dealing with his workers.
He shocked me, out of my wits; when he showed me, an imported revolver, which he was carrying in his suitcase.
He told me that he was in danger of a violent attack by his workers, and was always prepared for the worst of the eventualities. He is a toughie and will not take things lying low, etc; ad infinitum.
I requested him to please shut his bag up, and leave me in peace. I was really put off by his show-off. Before the staff around me would start screaming, I wanted him out of the office.
Later, as expected his workers went on a total strike. Henry was nonchalant and unrelenting.
“Let them do what they like. I am sticking to my guns.” Very adamant, and arrogant Henry.
The striking workers put up some flags of the union, as a part of the protest, apart from the continuous din of slogans at the main gate of the Unit.
Henry called the Leader of the Union and asked him,
“ With whose permission have you put the ugly flags here?”
“We are your workers, Sir. We are allowed to register our protest. Everyone is doing this.”
“Who owns the premises”?
“You, Sir”.
“O.K. Understand this well and proper. I am throwing all the flags away. I do not approve of this at all, on my premises.”
Some fuel in the fire.
The factory stopped functioning, after a lockout. The matter became a long drawn out industrial dispute.
I recall another instance, around the same time.
This unit was an extension of, the main giant factory in Mumbai.
A seasoned HR chief Mr. Vipin Patel from the main Company was deputed to establish, and rear this unit up.
It was considerably away from the main Company, located in a fishing village, on the outskirts of Mumbai.
The HR chief Mr. Patel was very tactful, who understood the psyche of the workers. He knew that the workers there always had a sense of alienation. They felt as a persecuted lot. The workers had to do the bidding of the Union directives from the main Company, in Mumbai.
Hence any establishment act, was looked through this lens.
Here too the workers had some ongoing industrial dispute. As a part of the standard act of protest, they put up the flags of Union on the compound wall of the factory premises. This was pursuant to the directives of the distant Union bosses. It was certainly not a pleasant sight any way.
When Mr. Patel arrived at the factory, he was shocked to see the flags all around, on the fence of the Unit. Naturally he was very disturbed.
He summoned the Union Leader,
“ What do you think you are up to?”
“This is our protest, against the management 's policies, which are always anti workers. “ The obedient Parrot, echoing the big boss, from Mumbai.
“OK, no dispute on this count. I have called you, to my office for a different purpose altogether. You are aware that our company’s name is associated with top- class quality products, and we are almost a “standard” for the industry.” “Patel speak” contd....
“ Yes Sir” The crowd, which had gathered out at his cabin, roared in unison.
“The flags you have put, are all of tattered cloth, and the color has run out etc. This does not become us. I am sanctioning immediately Rs 1000/, which will be paid to you in cash.” An ‘understanding incarnate’, Patel.
“Sir.” Subdued Parrot.
“My request to you is, to remove the tattered flags, which are all rags. Get new ones stitched, which will befit our name. The name and prestige of our company is involved. Neither your name nor mine. It is “US” that we are talking about.” Mr. Patel should have been an Indian representative, in UN.
The workers removed the flags at once. The new ones never came up, and the matter was scuttled. The thousand rupees were returned in tact to Mr. Patel.
When the dispute came to a head, Mr. Patel’s name was suggested as the mediator by the Union on their behalf.
The MIDC factory closed down permanently. ‘Henry the strongman’ is, eking out a living by HAWKING HOMEMADE CANDLES, now.



M. S. RANADE
mranade@vsnl.com
UNPUBLISHED