It was qute accidental that I had left New Delhi and took up an assignment in my native state of Kerala This had happened durng September,1981. As I hail from Cherthala, a place in the district of Alappuzha and my wife hails from Vaikom which is in the adjacent district of Kottayam, I thought it prudent to join Hindustan Newsprint Ltd, a subsidiary of Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd (A Government of India Enterprse) situated in Velloor in Kottayam district itself. At that point of time, the systematic propaganda unleashed by monopolistic press including Malayala Manorama that no one is willing to set up any industrial units in Kerala owing to the fact that from the very next day of opening the same, workers will resort to strike was very much in the air as at present and the instance of Hindustan Newsprint was cited as a classic example in this regard. Interestingly, accusing fingers were always pointed at CPM and the unions owing allegiance to it for such a state of affairs.
In the backdrop of the said propaganda, soon after my joining that company I lost no time in ascertaining whether there is any substance in that propaganda. My enquiries revealed many facts that were hitherto unknown to majority of the people of Kerala. To cite one such thing, contrary to the propaganda, I came to know that CITU did not have any union of permanent employees and the extant major union was an independent one. I had also come to know that CITU has got only one union that of casual/contract workers. I was told that all the strikes that had taken place in the company since inception were caused at the behest of certain higher ups in the management in collusion with certain vested interests to meet their personal ends. It also came to light that there existed no system of sorting out any differences/issues that crop up in the company through mutual discussion and hence mutual distrust prevailed.
Be that as it may, after elapsing of 7-8 months of my joining that company, difference had cropped up between management and the union regarding certain issue relating to the work. Needless to mention, that difference had snowballed into a crisis leading to workers’ strike and lock-out which lasted for 110 days. When the strike was declared, I was caught unawares and had to remain under acute tension. This was due to the fact that though my probation was already over, I was not in receipt of confirmation order. The thought of my being thrown out of job had gnawed me like anything and the belief in CPM did not allow me to join duty inspite of the fact that even many left-leaning employees who had not got confirmation like me had joined duty. Meanwhile, two active union workers were sacked by the management at that time causing me a lot of anxiety. However, it was knbown that though the management had explored the possibility of sacking me, they abandoned the idea due to adverse legal opinion.
After the strike was called off as a result of the agreement signed between the management and unions, many co-workers and friends had prevailed upon me to take up leadership of the union. I was not able to reject their impassionate demand and had to succumb to the pressure ultimately. To start with I took up the responsibilioty of executive committee member and after 3 years, was elected as Secretary. I had worked for six years in that capacity. The period while I was secretary was full of memorable incidents. One such important development that had taken place during my tenure worth mentioning was getting the independent union affiliated to CITU. As a prelude to this, I alongwith other members who were thinking on similar lines, had started the process of exchanging our views and tried to spread the idea amongst the members. This idea got stronger and stronger with the passage of time culminating into affiliation to CITU.
Another silverlining which was achieved during the period was that we have made the management to set in motion a procedure of sorting out any issues/diffefences through mutual discussion as and when the same arose which practice was hitherto non-existent in the company.
Similarly, the union had strived every nerve to cobble a fairly decent wage revision agreement for the employees which had handsomely benefitted them. Our union had also taken up the case of bonus even while the company was still on Bonus holiday period. Our point was that even though the employees are not entitled for payment of bonus as per Bonus Act, they are entitled for payment of certain amount in lieu of bonus outside the Bonus Act in view of the record production achieved by the company. We had succeeded in our attempts and management had to concede to our demand to pay an advance at the time of Onam festival and the terms of recovery were worded in such a manner that the said amount cannot be recovered from the employees. Accordingly, an amount of Rs.150/-, Rs.350/-, Rs.500/-, Rs.750/- and Rs.900/- were pad to the employees at the time of Onam festival during the years of bonus holiday period. This, to say the least, was a notable landmark of achievement in the history of our union.
It is only apt to make a mention here regarding an unfortunate incident that had happened in the company involving a member of INTUCI) union who had met with an accident while on duty and the happenings that followed. When myself and the other Secretary Com.V.P.Janardanan (presently leader of CPM parliamentary party at Onchiyam Panchayath) had gone to Managing Director to dscuss certain aspects relating to that accident alongwith INTUC(I) leaders, they had tried to manhandle him and due to our timely intervention their attempts did not succeed. Even though we had nothing to do with the said incident, INTUCI) people could implicate us in the case of attempt to assault registered in that connection using their clout with the Government led by their own leader and we were made defendant 6 & 7 respectively. It was the government headed by Com.EK.Nayanar which came to power subsequently which had withdrawn all the cases connected with the above incident.
After serving six years as Secretary of CITU-led union I had relinquished the office during the year 1991 and worked as an Executive Committee member till 1994 when I was promoted to the supervisory post.
Hindustan Newsprint Limited., Kerala which the monopolistic press and anti-CPM forces had written off as one which is destined to face doom due to intermittent strikes could transform itself into a pride of Kerala by achieving new heights with regard to production year after year is to be written in golden letters in the history of Kerala State.
Now when I look back, though it was quite accidental that I had become a trade union leader, the fact that I happened to be witness to many a memorable event connected with that company and its employees that had taken place during my tenure as Secretary of the major union and the humble contributions made by me in the capacity of a worker of CITU towards the well-being of the company and its employees make me feel gratified.
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