Job-cuts create havoc in Pune city

19/12/2017

PUNE: It is not exactly an economic slow-down, but a look at the cross-section of companies that have been engaged in stand-offs with their workers over job-cuts suggests some negative effect in play.

When asked if there is a trend of job loss from an economic perspective in the city of Pune, Mahratta chamber of commerce industries and agriculture (MCCIA) director general, Anant Sardeshmukh says, “The economic state of the city is not bad, as such. One cannot comment on the overall job situation as there are various sectors involved.

“In IT, there is a concept of bench. In a competitive situation, because of external pressures and margins, you have to look at the overall costs. Now, HR cost is also included in it. For local establishments like Chitale Bandhu, although Chitale is not a small organisation, market situation dictates the job situation. So these instances that you have mentioned are industry specific. There is no alarming trend of job loss in the city.”

Looking at the macro view, a professor of economics at renowned Institute of Business Management and Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, talks US market - growth, but tough political conditions affecting Indian job seekers; Eurozone - various crises, putting pressure entirely on Germany which is wearing itself thin. And then India. “In India, we are yet to see growth in private investment,” is her bottom line on why growing job-cuts may be soon a norm rather than exception.

On the ground, in 2017, hundreds of workers in Pune had their jobs ambushed by factors like demonetisation to just, allegations, of bad management. The most recent is that of Pandit Auto.

Pandit Auto

The industrial court has put a stay on the sale of moveable, as well as non-moveable property owned by Pandit Auto until complaints filed by employees are addressed and their dues paid,” Kailas Kadam, head of the Hind Kamgaar Sanghatna (Hind Workers Association) told HT. The workers of Pandit Auto, automobile dealers for Tata Motors, met with a lockout notice on December 5, after holding protests on December 1 and 4.

Listing reasons for the lock-out, the company wrote, “Our workers/employees resorted to consorted action of an illegal strike on December 1, 2017, at about 9 am, at the Sahakarnagar workshop premises. Thereafter, workers/employees commenced an illegal sit-down strike at Tathawade workshop premises on December 4, 2017, from around 5 pm and have continued to do so,” in the notice.

A Pandit Auto statement issued said: “Due to turbulence in the industry, the company is suffering financial stress for the past two years. There are substantial financial losses since 2015 due to a variety of reasons.”