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).
|
12 Sep 1986
To:
Dear
Friends
AFRAID IN THE DARK
In the
middle of the night, a Guru asked his Chela to go and get him some medicinal-herbs
from the jungle as he was having a
high-fever. The Chela got up from his
sleep, went out of the hut but returned within a minute.
"What
happened?" - The Guru asked.
Chela said,
"But
who are you afraid of?" Guru asked, "Is there anyone out there?".
"No,
there is no one there - it is very
lonely - that is why I am afraid".
The Guru was
suprised !
"I
agree it is very lonely outside. But that is no reason to feel
afraid. How can you say there
is no one there ? YOU are there
- unless you
confess that you are
afraid of yourself ! "
I don't
know whether the
darkness in the
Chela's mind disappeared with the
"Light of knowledge" of Guru's words.
But I know
one or two things :
ONE
Many people
from all over Powai have written to me regarding the need to switch-off the tube-lights in the shops and the offices when employees go
out for lunch or after the
working-hours.
TWO
Last week, I
asked the Union-Committee
members to get me some medicines. I was telling the Union Committee :
1.
|
1980-81
|
1984-85
|
|
Profitability
(PBT/SALES)
|
14.0%
|
7.7%
|
|
Manpower
cost
Stores-crediting
|
19.4%
|
26.0%
|
ELEMENT
|
JAN '79
|
JAN '86
|
INCREASE
(Index)
|
|
a.
|
C.P. I.
|
1447
|
2922
|
202
|
Maximum D.A.
|
Rs. 1035
|
Rs. 2472
|
239
|
|
Minimum
D.A
|
Rs. 503
|
Rs. 1145
|
228
|
|
Monthly
Wage Bill (DR)
|
Rs. 38.75
lakhs
|
Rs. 99.02
lakhs
|
256
|
|
Workmen
strength (DR)
|
3937 nos
|
3790 nos
|
-96
|
|
Average
Wage (DR)
d - e
|
Rs. 984
|
Rs. 2613
|
265
|
|
9.
|
Stores-crediting
(S.V.)
(Powai + Madh)
|
Rs. 59.8
crores (78 - 79)
|
Rs. 127.1
crores
(84 - 85)
|
213
|
While
calculating monthly wage bill, I have not added
I was telling
them,
"In
seven years, consumer price index has
gone from 100 to 202, but average wages
of a worker has gone up from 100 to 265
I You are getting more than 100%
neutralisation for rise in cost-of-living I
And if cost-of-living includes
cost of food (whether eaten at home or in canteen), it is only natural that you pay Rs. 2.37 for a standard Vegetarian Thali (now sold
for Rs. 0.65) - and a
similar price-increase for
all other food items.
If we
include Bonus, ex-gratia, LTA, etc. the average wage has perhaps gone-up
THREE TIMES in just seven
years I In all fairness, canteen
selling-prices must
be revised upwards. There was even an
agreed formula in the 1973 Agreement. So, please
go out, tell the employees
and bring back the badly needed medicine - the price
increase ".
After a
moment of silence, the Union Office-bearers said,
"Sir,
sorry, but we cannot agree for a
price-increase nor can we ask our members".
That is when I realised what the Guru was saying.
Although I do not claim to be
anybody's Guru, it was
obvious to me that the
Union Office-bearers had identified
themselves with the Chela !
The people
we are afraid
of most are our own people - our own selves,
when the darkness of ignorance surrounds us.
Will
someone switch-on the tube-light please, before it is too late !
H.C. PAREKH
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