Striking a balance

Baba Adhav, president, Rickshaw PanchayatStrikes are not my first alternative. They become inevitable when requests and negotiations fail...

Baba Adhav, president, Rickshaw Panchayat
Strikes are not my first alternative. They become inevitable when requests and negotiations fail. Labour courts do not have enough judges and litigation stretches for many years. Nobody gains by a strike 8211; In government offices, workers have to pay for the strike and absenteeism by giving up their salary for that period of time. In my area of work, the sustenance level is low and it is a question of earning one8217;s daily bread. Strikes are not always about salary or wage hikes. They also address non-monetary and labour issues. As regards achieving the purpose, yes, to date most of the major issues we have had a strike for, have been fulfilled.

Bindumadhav Joshi, Founder, Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat
I am against morchas, rail-rokos and stone throwing. They are not the solution and only complicate the issue. Sometimes, the wrong party ends up paying the price. For instance, the customer is inconvenienced if banks go on strike. We know that the High Court has a ruling against strikes, in favour of the consumer. Our consumer movement will take the protest against strikes to the national level to bring about a healthier environment for the consumer. Consumer apathy must be addressed nationally.

Madhukar Khanwalkar, Marketing executive
Strikes of all types harm the entire country. Stringent laws should be made to curb strikes. Bank employees, public utility services should refrain from putting public into inconvenience. Union leaders should put themselves in the shoes of a common man before provoking strikes.

Murli Daswani, businessman
I am against the very notion of strikes due to which the mobility of the whole country comes to a standstill, affecting the economy. It affects not only the people against whom it is aimed, but indirectly a lot of others who do not wish to participate. I deal in handicrafts which requires prompt transportation. This is inevitably hindered due to unforeseen strikes. In short, a realistic approach is not and cannot be defined as a strike!

Dr Satyaranjan Sathe, Director, Legal Aid Education Society and Honorary Secretary, Indian Law Society ILS
Strikes are the collective bargaining of people to withhold the right to work and are within the right of workers who can also withdraw. Since his bargaining power and his right is interconnected, strike are justified. But, one should resort to it only when all other means have been exhausted. Often the management and the government do not listen to any reason and at other times a matter is referred to a tribunal, which takes years to decide. In such cases, people feel exploited and decide to strike work. Naturally there are moral dimensions to this too. This right should not be abused or used as blackmail. The propriety of a strike depends upon the social context in which it is evoked. The ethical use and exercise of this right should always be to keep the community in mind. Law cannot be divorced from ethics!

Ajit Abhyankar, District Secretary, Communist Party of India Marxist and Vice President, CITU
I8217;m most definitely in favour of strikes! After all, it is the only defence available to workers, to fight against exploitation demonstrating the worker8217;s indispensability. It is a sort of Satyagraha because when production is stopped, our income also stops. It is self-infliction of pain at not only the industry8217;s cost, but also at our own cost.

Success in strikes is generally likely to be achieved. We believe that the police, government machinery is usually on the side of the employer. The labour machinery even if neutral, does not seem to have the power to oppose. Strikes put pressure on the employer. Weapons may not always work, but they are definitely required!