Pink slip for 3 decades of service at ITI: Workers

Hundreds of people working at Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) on a contract basis are in a dilemma. Many of them are said to have been associated with the ITI for over three decades and were leading a hassle-free life. Now, they do not know how to make the ends meet.

The workers patiently waited in front of ITI Limited in the hope that they would be allowed to continue working, but no response came forth from the authorities concerned – either from the ITI or the agency that placed them there. After waiting for over two months, they resorted to a relay hunger strike in support of their demands.

Prior to embarking on the relay hunger strike, these hapless workers approached all the authorities expecting some relief to their woes but nothing happened. They blame the ITI Limited and the agency for terminating their service without following the formal procedure of giving a month’s notice.

According to Munesh, who was sacked along with 250 others, he was asked not to come to work the following day he was on a night shift.

“I was on night shift that fateful day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Janata Curfew on March 24. Around 11 pm, the supervisor informed me that my service was terminated with immediate effect. I was asked to leave right away. Five of my colleagues were also asked to leave the premises,’’ said Munesh, adding that he has been working as a painter while his wife sold her jewellery to buy essentials.

On March 31, 2020, when the lockdown was first announced, ITI Limited informed its workers not to report to work for two months. The agitating workers said that they were promised wages for the lockdown period, but that commitment was not honoured. The workers also complained that the agency had not paid wages for three months prior to the lockdown.

The workers were a relieved lot when they were allowed to resume work one month later. Thinking that all their problems would not get over, around 400 of them reported for duty.

However, on July 1, 2020, the factory security guards denied entry to 250 of them. The management had decided to employ only 150 workers. Contract the workers were on was terminated and they were employed on a new one. Though the workers worked on a contract basis, they had been working at the ITI for almost 35 years. Not only did this affect those who were wrongfully terminated, but also those who joined duty.

Vijji, who has worked with the public sector undertaking for 28 years, said, “I worked here all my life, and was sacked without compensation. They have not even paid me for overtime I put in. Lakhs of rupees of arrears is due. By terminating the old contract, the company is trying to wash its hands off all dues it owes us.”

Also, the new contract pays the workers as per their academic qualification instead of their skills. Most of them have been working at the unit for decades and have specialised in specific tasks. The new contract, however, categorises them as “unskilled” or “semi-skilled” since many only have an SSLC or diploma. The workers are now expected to do the same work they did before but for a lesser remuneration.

Hemant, president of the workers’ union, emphasises the need for unity in this struggle. Given that most of the workers are Dalits and women whose salaries have not been paid by the company for months, he believes that a strong union will help in their fight for what is “rightfully” theirs. “The management of ITI has a history of doing malpractices. It has always ill-treated workers; many of the attendees make us do their personal chores like washing their cups or cleaning toilets. We oblige without a complaint for the fear of being laid off, suspended or punished. When they terminated our employment, we formed a union with the help of the AICCTU. Since then, we have filed multiple cases and have been demanding that the company pay up our salaries,” he said.

‘Inhuman state of ITI affairs’

“It is very painful to see state of the ITI workers who have been very strong from the beginning of their protest. Their determination not to give up is inspiring me to get them justice. It is sad to note that a government enterprise is not responding to the welfare of its very own workers who are also citizens of the country.

“Management of ITI must comply with the Regional Labour Commission and take its workers back. This demand of ours is non-negotiable. ITI is behaving worse than a private establishment by not abiding by the Central Ministry’s Labour Department order.

“Workers are not willing to be treated in this fashion by the management. Every day is posing a new difficulty. Their difficulty began even before the strike started since their very basic rights