The Chief Executive Officer of a multi-national company was murdered by angry workers on the premises of the company in Greater Noida, an incident that has alarm managements across the country.
On Tuesday, Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandez also warned the managements of firms and companies should take a lesson from the incident. Though in the wake of the murder, it sounds unusually harsh but the minister has made an important point.
When employees are sacked, it is difficult to contain their rage. Due to liberalisation the salaries of managerial staff and executives have risen considerably but it is the ordinary worker who has been the worst affected.
The companies may or may not be in profit but the top shots in the management always get their salaries increased. It is a fact that managers are drawing obscene salaries compared to the lower staff. This is causing a sharp disparity and a great divide in this nation.
Even minor hikes of labourers causes heartburns among management. In fact, it is through such exploitation that the managers in the top layer justify their own salaries and show profit at the expense of the workers. While Chaudhari's murder is extremely condemnable, there is need for humanitariran treatment with labourers.
With Diwali approaching and hundreds of workers worried about the chulha, it would certainly cause anger. No wonder, the government said that the simmering discontent caused this killing. Ironically, the minister and his department have done precious little to stop this exploitation. Or by airing the sentiments, he just wants to send a message to his electorate?
The death of Graziano Tansmissioni's CEO Lalit Kishor Chaudhuri should serve as a wake-up call for the government also. With pay disparities in the private sector becoming a major issue and contract workers having no rights (the days of unionism are also gone), such industrial conflicts may rise in future.
The government can't just sit and sermonize after an incident has taken place.
