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).

1 Jan 1980

To:

Dear friends                    

THE NINETEEN EIGHTY

A very happy new year to you all. To your families just as much.

Raj Kapoor, in his  film "Boot-Polish" sings "What is it that you hold in your hands, little children?"

And the  children sing back  "Our future is  what we  hold in our hands; we have the fate at our command".

We all wish, our children could say the same. That is in our hands.

Only we, the people of Powai, could  make it possible for our children to face the future with confidence and courage.

Let us,  therefore  resolve, on  this New  Year day,  to work together for an everlasting "Peace in Powai".

With  more than  7,000 souls  at work,  Powai is  perhaps the largest  "Industrial Democracy"  in  Bombay.  Differences  of opinions  (on how best to resolve problems)  are an essential feature of a healthy democracy.

We must  not allow  our differences  to disturb the  Peace in the  year  of Jesus  Christ  -  1980.   We  owe this  to  our children.

We hold their futures in our hands.

H.C. PAREKH