Unionism in IT industry
Vote politics.One can see it everywhere.The latest is the move to unionise workers in IT industry. Communist party is desparate for vote banks . IT industry is the fastest growing in the country.And they had their traditional vote bank in industries and industrial workers.
IT industry employs no industrial worker in the traditional sense. It has very little hierarchy and hence the unionism ceases to have any relevance. But then politicians are ingenuine. they see the call centres and BPO as traditional sweat shops. Unnatural timings, rigorous work schedules and impossible deadlines are sure fire formula for entry of unionism in their midst.Media has also played a part in blowing up the health hazards faced by workers in these industries.
Typical response of industry leaders are: There is no scope for unionism in our outfits as all of them are highly qualified and hardly what you might call a worker. Each one of them aspires to be a CEO very soon, how can they have grievances which they will look for redressal to an outside agency? We have such excellent hr practices that we anticipate and address any issues that come up in informal discussions.
Between the two parallel lines of argument lies the truth. It is a fact that the IT industry imposes impossible deadlines which make them work 12/14 hours a day non stop for months/years on end. The companies vie with each other for getting a contract and accept impossible time schedules and hence the team has to work literally round the clock. while it could be exciting in the short run, it tells on the health/family life of the professional.
while world over the focus is on balance between professional/personal life and leisure, Indian IT industry is moving inexorably in a path which can give room for disgruntled elements to enter . Maybe they will not be your employees. But politicians are very smart ,dont forget that.
posted by vasukumar @ 9:24 PM
4 Comments:
As the people at least for the present are jumping jobs in the IT industry I wonder how the unionism will work. It is important for the people working in IT industry to take well deserved holidays off and on with unions are without them.
It will be interesting to watch how the whole scenario develops. Nothing will be constant is what i predict.
I remember tatas were such good employers they used to pride themselves that not a single day has been lost in strikes in their companies. And then one Nair landed from kerala to fish in the placid waters of Telco.He did get support from a section of workers and he did manage to break no strike pride of Telco.
"Nothing will be constant is what i predict."
You can say that again!
"he did manage to break no strike pride of Telco"
I simply cannot understand how people can get pleasure out of disrupting a system that works well.
"It is important for the people working in IT industry to take well deserved holidays"
Oh I so agree! Holidays are the reason why work remains interesting and exciting. Otherwise brain fatigue sets in and it seems like onelongendlessdaythatneverends :D
diwali was celebrated by BPO staff in the office. The companies needed to work round the clock and US clients dont accept off for diwali!Hence innovative ways were devised to see that the operations were continuous , at the same time introducing the "fun" elemtent at work spot.After all fun is the basic theme of diwali. Great parties were organised in office and of course cracker bursting and sweets distributing followed!Office does become like a home away from home. Unionism cannot thrive when the employer has connected with the 'fun streak' in an employee!
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