Tata Steel CEO and managing director T V Narendran on Monday launched centenary year’s celebration of Tata Workers' Union at Michael John Auditorium in Bistupur. Addressing the gathering he said that a strong union is key to the growth of the company and its employees but also for a city. Tata Workers' Union has played an important role in progress in last 100 years.
Narendran, gave example of the celebrations in 2004 to commemorate the 75 years of industrial harmony in Tata Steel which was an important milestone not only for the company and its employees and the entire city.
“Our city and its economy is depended on the able leadership of TWU. Difference will come in way between company’s management and TWU, but the challenge is how to find a solution and I am thankful that succeeding generation of leaders in TWU has shouldered this responsibility in a big manner,” said Narendran.
Narendran also inspired the union leaders and the company to be ready to adapt to changing times to stay relevant in the present scenario.
“ In the changing times it is important to stay relevant through people development, creating processes for changing capability with time and build a culture of working together to meet the challenges posed by disruptive trends in economy and various segments,” said Narendran.
Earlier, T. V Narendran also released a logo to mark the centenary celebration. A two-minutes silence was also kept before the program began in memory of martyred jawans in Kashmir and also for TWU leaders who have passed away.
Tata Workers' Union is one of the earliest trade unions in India. Its history dates back to March 1920. Formerly known as 'Labour Association', the trade union at Jamshedpur, as elsewhere, was born out of workers' suffering and sacrifices caused by a prolonged strike which ultimately resulted in the increase of wages, introduction of fringe benefits like Provident Fund and, above all, recognition of the Labour Association. An Advisory Joint Committee with representatives from Labour and Management was formed as a precursor to the concept of workers' participation in management, which was to become in later years a remarkable success in Tata Steel.
There was, however, a serious setback in 1922 when the Union launched a strike for securing certain basic demands like security of service, better service conditions, etc. the strike failed. The Management promptly withdrew its recognition and discharged the General Secretary of the Union from service. The labour at Jamshedpur soon drew all-India leaders like C.F. Andrews, C.R. ‘
Das, and Motilal Nehru into the field. A conciliation committee with C.R. Das as Chairman was formed to break the deadlock. It failed. Mahatma Gandhi was persuaded by Andrews to intervene. Gandhiji visited Jamshedpur in 1925 and through his good offices a settlement was reached.
