Let's Do Harakiri

The recent news from Kolkata that politicians have plans to set

up worker and trade unions in the upcoming IT and ITeS industry there is nothing

but Harakiri-for the city, State as well as the country.

It was not long back that Kolkata was the financial as well the

industrial capital of India. And many would argue that it was also a Mecca of

higher education. And then we all know how the situation reached rock-bottom in

the seventies, eighties and nineties. While there might be numerous reasons for

the decline and decay, one big factor was the mindless and senseless trade

unionization.

These organizations, rather than playing a constructive role for

the growth of society and industry, actually brought in so much politics and

indiscipline that the industry and the economy collapsed, and therefore the

society also bore the brunt. And more than that Kolkata and West Bengal became

infamous as a place where people did not want to work. The capital of India

became a city that was rated as "highly avoidable" in the industry.

Thanks to IT and now ITeS, Kolkata is once again gathering

steam. There are quite a few enterprises, including , BPO/ITeS, telecom and

manufacturing that are setting shops here. They are investing quite a bit in IT,

networking and communications. And sure enough you have all the builders

following this growth path, and working on small townships, tech-parks, housing

apartments and malls.

We, including the politicians, the governments, and the budding

professionals must realize that trade unions were required at a time when there

was high degree of exploitation of labor and working class, and there was not

much dignity of labor. The worker was almost like a slave, and the owner knew

nothing besides sucking the workers blood to make more money and profits.

That is no more the case today. The junior executive in the

company addresses the owner by his first name, and the owner will think several

times before asking the executive to come to work on a Saturday. The owner

involves his employees in strategic decision making for the company's growth,

works on a business philosophy where the employees are partners (even if not

very significant) in growth. The IT and ITeS/BPO companies are perhaps the first

ones to offer stock options to employees. Human talent is the most important

capital. Obviously a lot is being done to enhance quality of life of employees

and trade unions have not much of a role to play, unless they can re-draw their

objectives.

The fact is that today human resource is the most critical for

the growth of this industry, and therefore also becoming highly instable. We all

know how difficult it has become to hold good people. Just as weak and old

slaves were earlier thrown out by their employers at the first available

availability of strong and young slaves, many young professionals leave

organisations and work in a lurch, just because they are getting a few extra

rupees in the next shop.

And in such a scenario if labour and trade unions come up, one

can only imagine what is going to happen. Intentions might be very good, but

experience tells us that by and large trade unions have only created problems

and uncertainty. They have become destructive rather than constructive. We do

not have the time to take those chances today.

Finally, those of who think that trade and worker unions fallouts will be

limited to Kolkata or West Bengal at the most are sadly mistaken. Looking at the

way this industry is growing in the country and business from across the world

is flowing in, the need for educational institutes that will supply the growing

need for talent, and new locations beyond the costly metros, will only grow up.

And Kolkata and West Bengal will play a big role in creating that. If we will

not have them, Indian ability to handle growing business will be severely

affected.

The author is Group Editor of Dataquest. ibrahima@cybermedia.co.in