Synopsis: Communication
For Productivity
Letters written to some
7500 Workers / Managers / Union Leaders, following a period of strike / Go
slow / Murders (1979 - 1987), at Mumbai factory of Larsen & Toubro Ltd.
This direct / open / honest communication led to a remarkable
atmosphere of trust between Workers and Management, which, in turn,
increased productivity at 3% per year (ave).
|
11 SEP 1979
To:
Dear friends
PRODUCTIVITY
In joint discussions between the
Management and Bharatiya
Kamgar Sena Union
representatives held during
last few months immediately following the wage settlement, both the parties have expressed their
firm commitment to increase productivity, to keep our products
competitive.
During the
review it was found that
the productivity increases,
as stipulated in the Settlement, have not taken place in large
areas of operations although these should have been
achieved within three months of the Settlement.
This has
become an area of major concern and we
have jointly drawn up action
plan to identify
specific productivity targets and
make efforts to achieve them.
It is recognized that the
targeted increases in
Labour Productivity can mainly
come from the collective efforts
of all the workmen and the Supervisory staff.
It is
agreed to implement the
following with immediate effect:
1.
Maximum utilization of working time
on the machines/ jobs thereby
eliminating unproductive time.
2.
Full cooperation
in ensuring adherence to
specified work timings and
maintaining discipline.
3.
Cooperation in
implementing agreed
job-classification as provided in
the recent Settlement.
4.
4. For
areas already covered by
productivity indices, efforts
at individual level
to increase the
Productivity indices to the level as per the Settlement.
5.
5. For
areas with no
Productivity Indices coverage,
increase, the Productivity level
by 25 points over the December 78
performance level.
6. Holding of structured 3-tiered meetings at
-
Shop floor level
-
Unit level
-
Powai level
on a regular
basis, to review and improve productive performance.
The BKS Union has
reaffirmed its concern for the need
to raise productivity and has 'agreed to extend full cooperation in the
matter. This can be achieved only
with the positive attitudes, the
recognition of the motto 'Productivity or Perish
and the whole-hearted acceptance
that productivity is the
concern of every
individual employee. We
are convinced that this is the major way
to ensure sustained and successful operations, resulting in growth
of the company in which all of us have.
joint stake.
We are
sure, as in the past, all the employees will rise to the occasion,
with an all-out effort
to achieve higher levels of Productivity and not allow individual problems to interfere with the
attainment of the common goals.
