Don’t blame militant labour unions for the problems being faced in Gurgaon and in other parts of the country. Increasingly, managements are riding rough shod over workers’ rights and, in the case of the Gurgaon strike, the companies have even hired armed guards to beat up workers protesting for their genuine rights. In such a situation, if matters escalate, companies will have only themselves to blame.
Workers’ salaries constitute only a small fraction of a company’s costs, yet managements are eager to save on even this and are hiring contract workers to replace permanent employees. The government needs to step in and hear the workers as well.
Sushant Gupta, New Delhi
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