Comments on: Social Security for Tata Steel Contract Workers

By: Jagdish Acharya

Jagdish Acharya — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 11:25:22 +0000

Thank you very much for sharing your valuable views about an organization that goes beyond its brief to look after its employees. TATAS is a perfect example of a “caring” or “employee-centric” organization. It demonstrates a commitment to the well-being, professional development, and satisfaction of its staff.

TATAS have demonstrated to us how values can be laden with a spirit of philanthropy and a supportive culture.

They have shown by this example that safety, security, and welk-being of employees and their families is paramount in the sustainability of an organisation.

TATAS bring meaning and purpose to the pursuit of making money.

Enjoyed reading your blog.

By: Vineet Kaul

Vineet Kaul — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 12:16:53 +0000

Dear Vivek,
Kudos for writing on this path breaking Social Security scheme for Contract workmen at Tata Steel. Must admit that I was not aware of the existence of this scheme .
Yes, Tata Steel has been a forerunner in terms of Employee welfare and we have learnt from them. They have been proactive in Employee well being .
When I read that around 1 Lac contract employees are covered here , I sincerely hope and pray that these contract workers are used in clearly non-core and areas permitted under the law. I say this because many Leading companies ( including some from the Tata Group) go overboard in using contract employees in their Operations.
Thanks again for this blog

By: G V Joshi

G V Joshi — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 06:59:43 +0000

Nice blog. Even PSUs don’t think paying beyond what is statutorily payable . Tatas have always displayed their employees friendly measures.Thank you sir for sharing your experience during Tata steel visit.
Regards

By: Amit S Kawoor

Amit S Kawoor — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 05:14:43 +0000

“WE ALSO MAKE STEEL” TISCO iconic adv tagline which they LIVE and BREATH….Thanks Sir for sharing your feelings and more importantly the disclaimer which makes it so authentic and appealing.
Guess that’s why we say TATA’s are industrialist the rest are business houses…mute point is despite obvious sustained results from the Bombay House (100yrs just completed) why and what more proof is needed for other to simply follow. That truly would be DEVELOPED nations foundation for dignity of labour.

By: Deepali Shinde

Deepali Shinde — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 03:48:38 +0000

I want to express my sincere appreciation. Your detailed account of Tata Steel’s progressive approach to social security is both enlightening and inspiring. It’s heartening to see a company taking such significant steps to ensure the well-being of its contract workers. Your dedication to highlighting these critical issues and sharing positive examples like Tata Steel’s scheme is truly commendable. Thank you for bringing this important topic to light and for advocating for better conditions for contract workers.

By: Sudhir Kulkarni

Sudhir Kulkarni — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 17:22:29 +0000

Dear Vivek ji,
As always you have come out with another candid and thought provoking blog. What Tata Steel has been doing for more than a decade is unfortunately much less known in the industrial world. Tatas employee oriented policies are also not readily emulated by others, though in certain professional conferences they are lauded and it just ends there, however certain other people practices like Outsourcing, Employee Cost cutting and other dubious tricks shared by peers are aped with great reverence, with HR personnel scoring brownie points from their bosses.
Tata Steel is really living up to their tag line popular some decades back that
” We also make Steel”. I was part of Tata Group for more than a dozen years but cannot say with confidence that the Tata Steel spirit governs People Policies of all the Group Companies.
Grateful to you for this eyeopener.

By: Raju P.Pathak

Raju P.Pathak — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 15:58:01 +0000

Indeed very encouraging story of Tata…but unfortunately corporates still treat contract workers as commodity or input cost but not as head count or human resource while designing incentive scheme…as nation we have to understand that contract workers are major contributor to Business and as corporates we should look after them as resource and not as liability…I have seen contract workers giving presentation in Hindi on Kaizen, Small Group Activity , 5S , Behaviour Based Safety…every company must have social security support as well as proper reward and recognition programme for them…we have basic teaching from Vedas … सर्वे सुखिनः सन्तु, सर्वे सन्तु निरामया….must be adopted as part of business practice

By: Vilas Dhavale

Vilas Dhavale — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 12:50:27 +0000

Thanks for writing this piece. Tatas were, are and sadly, will remain exceptional. (Other employers will make sure that Tatas remain exceptional).

By: V J Rao

V J Rao — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 11:02:13 +0000

So very true Vivek. The Tata group have been humanistic and have been path breaking in these areas. Where there is a will there is a way. However the sad state of affairs today is that forget about being progressive, at least ensure that they comply with the minimum requirements of the law and not engage expensive lawyers to find ways to evade the law. That too is not done. Look at the no. of fires in companies. Safety measures are non existent. I met a CEO of a Rs 200 crore company who proudly said that they met the requirement of all quality audits but failed the audit on minimum wages as if they paid minimum wages, they would be out of business !!!! Do you even have a right to do business if you cannot pay your employees? Sadly, todays HR folks have taken this as a given and that they have no role to play in this. The government machinery seems non existent. So the HR folks who are the last of the conscience keepers have forgotten the origins of their profession – what started as ” Welfare Officers”. The trade unions take care of ‘permanent ” workmen who are the elite now and therefore there is no focus on the plight of such workmen. A sad state of affairs.

By: Monodip Chaudhuri

Monodip Chaudhuri — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:35:47 +0000

This heartwarming story does not cause me surprise even in the least.When it comes to employees/families welfare Tatas can teach many industrial giants in the world and it all emanates from their founders.There are lapses occasionally but do we need to get into those?No,not when the overall picture is so praiseworthy.
Incidentally,if anyone thinks that Vivek Patwardhan has been paid to write this that person (s) clearly don’t know him.
The Companies I have worked in have been scrupulously law abiding but that’s about all.Tragically the permanent workers union’s have not taken kindly to any major changes and have at times been rather negative towards non permanent workers,but perfectly happy to get them to do backbreaking work