Comments on: The Tragic Life of Contract Workers At BPCL

By: Kbs

Kbs — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 13:45:46 +0000

How are corporates to respond – they need enforcement of the law uniformly so that they remain competitive and yet contract employees don’t suffer. But in our environment this is too much to ask for so most contract workmen suffer including those in the public sector. Actually you see maximum short termination in psus! Many ( not all) pct sector are better- how to create an environment where everyone benefits- unions workers and companies all together! That seems too idealistic

By: Himanshu M Bhatt

Himanshu M Bhatt — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 12:30:06 +0000

Thanks a lot Sir for once again shaking up our consciousness and appealing our hearts.
What a terrible life these women had to live. The fight for justice for such an unorganized group itself is a challenge.
Compliments to Dr Vivek.
Now this fight for the cause for all such people will have to be taken to a decisive level. In your this crusade we will be with you.
Great of you Sir.

By: Mahesh Kate

Mahesh Kate — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 04:14:53 +0000

What an eye for detail, which Vivek sir only can observe minutely. The story really brings other side for HR professional which only look the compliance part. Improve the working condition, push them to management and sustainability remain challenge for HR in world of VUCA and cost cutting. The dignity of labour and labour market is big challenge in recent and forthcoming AI,ML.

The manager of BPCL must be getting Pride if automation but many lives, children looking forward it as monster which changed their paths. Heart touching really , sharing as much possible..
Mahesh

By: Vivek Patwardhan

Vivek Patwardhan — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 09:04:37 +0000

In reply to Arvind Shrouti. Thanks a million!

By: Arvind Shrouti

Arvind Shrouti — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 04:30:04 +0000

मध्ययुगीन काळात ज्ञानाचे सूत्र ज्ञान = ग्रंथ X तर्कशास्त्र असे होते. परंतु विज्ञानयुगीन काळात ते बदलले व ज्ञान = मिळालेली माहिति X गणित असे ते झाले. परंतु मानवाचा स्वता:वरचा विश्वास जसजसा वाढत गेला तसतसा नैतिक ज्ञानाबद्दलच नव सूत्र अवतीर्ण झाले, ते म्हणजे ज्ञान = अनुभव X संवेदनशीलता. विवेक पटवर्धनांच्या लेखात सदर दोनहि गोष्टी (अनुभव वं संवेदनशीलता) प्रकर्षाने दिसून येतात.

जर आपंल्याला एख्याद्या नैतिक प्रश्नाचं उत्तर जाणून घ्यायच असेल तर आपण आपल्या आतल्या अनुभवाशी स्वतःला जोडून घेत अत्यंत सन्वेदनशीलपणे त्या अनुभवाच निरीक्षण करत उत्तर मिळवू शकतो. याचाच अर्थ असा कि विविध अनुभव गोळा करून आणि आपली संवेदनशीलता अधिक सक्षम बनवून त्या अनुभावाचा योग्य प्रकारे अर्थ लावण्याचा व संवेदनशीलता अधिक सक्षम बनविण्याचा प्रयत्न विवेक पटवर्धनांनी केला आहे. त्यांचा या प्रयत्नांना जेवढी दाद द्यावी तितकी ती कमीच आहे असे माल वाटते.
अनुभव व संवेदनशीलता हि कोणतीही अमुर्त्य क्षमता नव्हे. पुस्तकं वाचून किंवा भाषण ऐकून ती विकसित करता येत नाही, हे एक व्यावहारिक कौशल्य आहे आणि प्रतक्ष्य व्यवहारात ते वापरत राहिले तरच ते परिपक्व होत आणि याचच विवेक पटवर्धन हे एक उत्कृष्ट उदाहरण आहे असे मला वाटते. असे उदाहरणे फार दुर्मिळ आहेत कारण समाजातील बहुतांश लोकांमधील जाणिवांची पातळी घसरलेली आपण बघतो आहे आणि ती उचावण्याचा प्रयत्न विवेक पात्वार्धानांनी या लेखातून केला आहे असे माझे मत आहे. हा लेख वाचल्यानंतर तू माझा मित्र आहेस याचा मला अभिमान वाटतो व मी किती भाग्यवान आहे कि तुझ्यासाराखा मित्र मला मिळाला.
मला अशी आशा आहे की हा लेख आपल्यास आपण जे काही करू शकतो ते करण्याच धाडस देईल, जर आपल्या जाणिवा शाबूत असल्यास………

By: Sujata deshmukh

Sujata deshmukh — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 14:46:02 +0000

This story is the tip of the iceberg. We perhaps don’t realize how difficult and (seemingly) hopeless the fight to even survive is for these people. Thank you for sharing this story. Hope it is the step for finding some solution for such people.

By: Vivek Patwardhan

Vivek Patwardhan — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 02:19:44 +0000

Thanks Dr Monteiro for leaving a thoughtful comment. I too feel that it is time to implement the Universal Basic Income in some form.

By: Vivek Monteiro

Vivek Monteiro — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 02:03:00 +0000

There are millions of working people in the unorganised sector who are left helpless when they are too old to work. In the case of the BPCL workers I am reasonably confident that we will get gratuity for them, though this may take some time, and another visit to the apex court.The same for the BARC workers.If we succeed this will set legal precedents which will benefit all contract workers in future. Even if we succeed, what these ladies will get is only around Rs 2.5 lakhs, which will only last for several months.Since they withdraw PF, they do not have EPF benefit.
So the long term measures needed are something like NYAY. This is possible, and needs a political choice.

By: ns iyer

ns iyer — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 15:28:52 +0000

It is soul stirring and well depicted.
Don’t get me wrong when I say the following:
You have written a lot on contract labour exploitation for the last two years. There have been similar comments and total lip sympathy for the articles so far written on this issue. Nothing has moved. But I appreciate you for creating tremors, taking pains to go such length, conduct interviews and sensitise all of us. Thanks a million. You could have chosen otherwise. You did not.
Sir, I may be suggesting something foolish. But I feel like saying so.
Can members who have commented here help these ladies in whatever way they can? Can we as the blessed ones in the society start creating change by taking up some of these in the public domain? Can we create a circle which will be action oriented and start helping these unfortunate ones, and take public stances on some of these? Can we be an action group which will with intellect and networking make a difference. Changes may not happen in our lifetime, but are we ready like Dr. Monteiro to sow the seeds and water them today so that changes fructify tomorrow? Crusaders like Dr. Monteiro know many of the issues they are fighting for may not see the light during their lifetime. But what they do is create many more crusaders who take up such causes and change destinies.
I do not know whether some of the questions I have raised will solve the issues, but will surely be a beginning and a harbinger in supporting the causes of the less fortunate and the down trodden.

I have raised nothing new and my fellow HR Professionals can add much more concrete and workable solutions. But if anything different is on offer is “I am stressing on “doing something concrete”, lest these will soon be forgotten till you write another heart wrenching story.

If one has to make am omelette, one has to break eggs.

Thanks, once again.

By: Navjot

Navjot — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 11:31:41 +0000

A very impactful description of the sad situation sir. There are multiple issues and nuances to pick from your narrative. The plight of the contract workers and migrants in the city, the gaps in intent and application of the law, the vicious cycle that is set in because of lack of money and exposure, the strength that a woman is capable of showing and sustaining and the disconnect from ground reality that exists in our meeting rooms that exists these days.
Hope people like Mr. Monterio grow and there is someone to guide and support these masses within the fabric of our society.

Hope someday to be one of them.