Workers going to the factory after the rain

SPEED AND HEALTH-II

(From New Series No. 255, September 2009)

Brisk pace is predominant today. Glorification of fast speed, still faster speed has become a form of social madness. Manufacturing fast and faster vehicles for land, sea, air, outer space, even beyond outer space is one of the major activities of human beings...Producing crops that mature quickly, rapidly increasing the flesh of birds and other animals has become common today...

We are preoccupied with increasing the speed of our own bodies. Speed, faster speed, still faster speed has taken the place of mukti-moksha or freedom from the cycle of birth.

To go beyond the tempo of nature, we produce speed. Now we have many types of speed. Production of each kind of speed is an endless dance of destruction. The fearsomeness of the dance of destruction grows with the increase of speed. Let’s look at some aspects of the impact of speed on our health to realize how crucial it is to think about the very production of speed.

*Taking decisions. Taking many decisions. Every day taking many decisions of many kinds. This has become the mode of life for each one of us. Speed, faster speed in every arena requires taking quick decisions in split second stages. And speed is only increasing…

Innumerable things are linked together. And they are dynamic. At any moment, an extremely unstable equilibrium is created. In this situation, whether it be person or institution, decisions are in the category of flukes. Therefore, there is always an abundance of potential explanations.

Each one of us has to take thousands of decisions every day because of social conditions which have been created by speed, faster speed. In this situation, hope and despair have been replaced by extreme hope and extreme despair…In a single day, each one of us swings many times between these two extremes. On the one hand, we think, “I alone am a fool.” On the other hand, we think, “Except for me, every one else is a fool.” These have become the two banks of our hope and despair.

Speed, faster speed has brought about a flood of facts and figures. Persons know some of them, can keep some of them in mind. And there are questions of evaluation, comparative evaluation, and importance. There are compulsions of having to take thousands of decisions each day rapidly. “Who doesn’t make a mistake?” has become such a commonly-heard phrase. But the matter does not stop here.

*Decision after decision, fluke after fluke…Mistake after mistake. This endless process of today forces each of one of us to into many roles daily. We are doomed to putting on many masks every single day. In this situation, each person has become the wrestling ground for many personalities. There are 50 “I’s” in one “I.” Educated people call one division in personality a mental illness, when we all suffer from multiple divisions in our personality.

Children are told to become adults quickly. According to the pace of speed in the present, children should mould themselves quickly. School. Increase the speed of minds. The result is that even in a ten year old child, there is crankiness, laziness, and sadness…up to suicide.

Mental illnesses have become an epidemic. In this situation, the tendency to stop considering 15% of mental diseases as mental diseases has also emerged among psychiatrists.

National mental health program evaluations state that in India 10-20% of the population is mentally ill. According to doctors, 50 to 60% of individuals are mentally ill. Even amongst doctors, more than half are ill and 6 to 7% are serially mentally ill. Rapid speeds’ extensive dance of destruction in India has not been in effect for a significantly long time. In Europe, America, Australia, terrifying loneliness is a product of fast and faster speed. This can be gauged by the fact that for most other medical specialists, there are many immigration restrictions put in place by these governments. However, the doors for psychiatrists from India to enter these countries have remained open.

*Loneliness. Lonely in a crowd. This is a special product of fast and faster speed.

Instrumental relations are predominant today.

Despite such a rapid pace of life, there is adequate time even for instrumental relations. In fact, it is necessary to say that speed engenders so much work that there is a lack of time. In this situation, the cry of ‘no time’ is a cry for lack of time for instrumental relations. Whereas it is those relations which are beyond instrumentality that give us zest for life...give life a spark. In instrumental relations, acquaintances are made. But in relations beyond these, in non-instrumental relations… friends are made. (There is a massive change in the meaning of words and calling acquaintances friends has become common. Still, in compulsion this word is being used in its old meaning.) For any relation, time is a primary necessity. Today instrumental relations are gobbling all the time we have. So, there are many acquaintances, hardly any friends. Of course, this situation creates the fodder for mental diseases. The cure of mental diseases in our current situation becomes impossible.

*Let’s take a look back. Fear, anger, helplessness, jealousy, frustration, greed were extensive. Apart from charms, temples, shrines, a kind of sociability existed to prevent mental illness. Speed, increasing speed has either completely gobbled up this sociability or has commodified it. In these past 100 years, ceremonies and rituals on the death of a person have changed from one month to 13 days to 3 days to now one hour. A month long Holi festival is reduced to 6-8 hours. The month of monsoons which was once a month long festivity is now reduced to a two-day month. This is true too with the holidays of Teej and Rakshabandhan...Even for Brij (the birth of Krishna), twenty day festivities from birth of Krishna to Baldev Chat has merely been reduced to just Krishna’s birthday. Durga Puja, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali have been commodified on a terrifying level.

Grandfather, maternal grandmother, friend, relations of the streets and neighborhood are now vanishing. The demand for privacy is becoming more articulate.

Therefore, even in India, the treatment of mental diseases is on the path of becoming a very big business.

*The first knock of speed is usually in the armed forces. Speed and having to move to different places and stay there makes the army a fertile ground for mental diseases. If we look at the Indian subcontinent, the first mental asylum was opened in 1787 in Kolkata. Then 1794 in Chennai. 1795 in Ranchi. 1806 in Mumbai. 1858 in Agra. 1862 in Bareilly. All these mental asylums are situated near cantonments. Initially, in these mental asylums, soldiers born in Europe were kept here and later on soldiers born in India were also locked up here. The law to lock-up mentally ill people was passed in 1858 and the asylums were under the control of jail superintendents. In 1920, the word hospital was added to their name, coming under the supervision of doctors.

After the armies, the next arena of speed usually is the production sector. The pace of speed and the distance away from families made soldiers mentally ill. Today at speeds much faster than then, workers have to live and work far away from their families...Regarding workers’ mental health…What can be said?

And the situation of mental diseases amongst the elderly…don’t even mention it!

LAWS ARE FOR EXPLOITATION AND THERE IS FREEDOM TO EXPLOIT BEYOND LAWS

(New Series Number 255, September 2009)

As of July 1, 2009, the statutory meaning of minimum wages is as follows:

Unskilled worker-
3,914 rupees/mo. (8 hrs/151 rupees or approx. $3)
Semi-skilled worker (a)
4,044 rupees/mo. (8 hrs/156 rupees)
Semi-skilled worker (b)
4,304 rupees/mo. (8 hrs/161 rupees)
Skilled worker (a)
4,304 rupees/mo.(8 hrs/166 rupees)
Skilled worker (b)
4,434 rupees/mo.(8 hrs/171 rupees)
High-skilled worker
4,564 rupees/mo.(8 hrs/176 rupees)

Where less than minimum wage is being given, drop a postcard of 25/50 paise (1 cent) to these addresses:

Mr. Labour Commissioner
Gov't of Haryana
30 Bays Building
Sector 17
Chandigarh

Mr. Chief Minister
Gov't of Haryana
Haryana Secretariat
Chandigarh

Arihant Mac Industries Worker- 15a Industrial Area.
"The drinking water for workers used to be salty. When any one went to the third floor office to drink water, office staff used to prohibit that person. In the beginning of June one day, we all decided that we will not drink salty water, stopped work, and left the factory...The foreman stopped us and since then normal drinking water comes in water supply trucks to fill the pots in the factory with water. Wages of helpers earn 2,300-2,400 rupees; operators- 3,000; dye-setters- 4,000 and dye-maker 5,000 rupees. Since January, the boss has been saying he will increase wages but he hasn't. When the wages for July were being paid on August 13 so the workers refused to take wages. Then the wages were increased for each worker. In Arihant Mac, there is one shift for 12 hours. And in other departments, there are 2 shifts for 12 hours each. Each month, 10 to 12 times, there is continuous 36 hours of work. 340 hours work in overtime. The payment of overtime is at single rate. No weekly rest. On Saturdays, the duty is from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and the payment is at double the rate, but if you do not work on that day then no pay at all. During 12 hours work, the company provides 2 samosas and for 36 hours continuous work, 20 rupees for food. 200 workers make shockers, axles, springs, hood luck, but only 7-8 workers have ESI and PF."

(ESI stands for Employee State Insurance which is legally compulsory for every factory worker. Where ESI does not exist, the worker does not exist in the factory records. To Provide ESI 1.75% of wages are deducted and the company contributes approximately 4.75%. PF stands for Provident Fund which is a retirement and pesonion scheme. 12% is deducted from wages wages and 12% is paid by the company.)

"There are 20 power presses. Workers operate them 12 hours every day and 36 hours continuously. Even helpers (unskilled workers) are made to operate them. If a hand gets cut, ESI is back-dated through the payment of bribes to insure that person. Each day 2-3 trucks of materials goes to Jaya Bharat Maruti (IBM), products also go to India Forge and Arihant Engineering. For damaged peices, they cut at least 200-500 rupees from a worker's wage each month. there is just one toilet for 200 workers. It is dirty and there is a long queue."

Dhruv Global Worker, 14 Milestone Mathura Road.
"Doing two 12 hour shifts. Makes garments for North Storm, New York, Casual Mail, Baspro, Cag. On Sundays also two 12 hour shifts and no holidays even on Janmashtami (Krishna's birthday). Payment overtime is at single rate. Helpers hired through contractors wages are 1,800-2,200 and stitching operators are paid per peice. And there is no ESI or PF for these 600-700 workers. There are about 800 permanent workers and they are paid the statutory minimum wages for 10 hours of duty instead of 8 hours. Staff wages were to be increased in March but were not increased until July. Income tax department raided the factory on August 20..."

New Randhir Press Tools Worker- Plot 365, Sector 24.
"100 workers in two 12 hour shifts makes parts for Mahindra tractors. Overtime is at single rate and June and July money was not paid until August 13th. There is a delay even in the payment of wages. 5-7 old workers wages are 4,000 to 5,000 rupees and only these workers have ESI and PF. Helpers wages are 3,000 rupees and operators wages are 3,500, no ESI, no PF. Drinking water is bad, and you will fall sick from drinking it. There is no fixed time for lunch. for male workers, there is just one toilet and it is very dirty. for female workers, there is a toilet and it is locked all the time. And then they have to go to the nearby tracks to go to the bathroom. In 12 hours, the factory does not even provide a cup of tea. The boss curses at us."

Faridabad Bolt Tight Worker- Plot 63, Sector 6.
"There are 60 workers in a 12 hour shift. No ESI or PF. Helpers (unskilled workers) wages are 2,500 and operators 3,000 to 4,000. Overtime at single rate."

SPL Industries Worker- Plot 84, Sector 35.
"There are two shifts of 12 hours each and they forcibly make us work 16-20 hours also. Wages are paid late each month from 18-20th."

Dynamic Industries Worker- Plot 5c, Sector 4.
"Workers hired through contractor had two 12 hour shifts. Helpers wages are 3,000 rupees and skilled workers are on peice rate. No ESI, no PF."

ARS Enterprises Worker- Gurukul Industrial Area, Anandpur.
"Helpers wages are 2,000 and operators 3,400. In 40 workers, only 7 workers have ESI and PF."

Gauroro India Worker-Plot 44, Sec 59.
"Helpers wages are 3,500, no ESI."

Neil Kant Thermopack Worker at Plot 37, Krishna Colony, Street #1, Sector 25.
"Helpers wages are 2,900 and operators are 3,500. ESI and PF are for 5 workers among 25. The shift is from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Overtime at single rate. There is no arrangement for drinking water from the factory. You have to bring it from home. There is no proper toilet in the factory so you have to go on the bank of the canal."

G.L. Autparts Worker- 14 Industrial Area.
"700 workers in two 12 hour shifts make parts for Honda, Yamaha 2 wheelers. Work on Sunday also. Men and women helpers wages are 2,000 to 2,200 and operators are 2,700 to 3,300. Some workers are quietly given an extra 200-300 rupees. And 14-15 young boys also work here. Senior workers get work done and the company has given them hundreds of thousands of rupees loan for establishing workshops where companies are established. ESI and PF are for 75 workers out of 700. After 12 hours of work, they forcibly stop you from leaving by cursing you to work longer hours. Overtime is at single rate. Late payment of wages each month after the 15th."

Clutch Autoworker- 12 by 4 Mathura factory.
"Payment of July wages has started on August 17th."

New Hindustan Tubes- Plot 91, Sec. 6.
"Helpers wages are 3,000 rupees. Shift is from 6 a.m.to 9-9 p.m. Overtime at single rate. They give 30 rupees for food and two rimes tea and snack during a 15 hour shift."

SI Engineering- Plot 352, Sec. 24.
"May, June, July wages were not paid until August 19th."

Super Fibre Worker- 57 Industrial Area, Juteville Mill.
"June wages were paid on July 30th and July wages were not paid until August 13th. One shift for 12 hours overtime at single rate."

Micro Machines Worker- 100 Plot, Sector 6
"In two 12 hour shifts, parts for Gazioni are made. In Noida, overtime is at single rate. Helpers wages are 3,000 rupees. Only 3 or 4 workers have ESI or PF."

San Lume Industries- 35 DLF Industrial Estate.
"There is a great problem around drinking water."

Reliable Diesel Worker- 12-6 Anangpur Road, Gurukul Industrial Area, company's second unit.
"When workers request a solution for even minor problems, the bosses misbehave."

Vee Gee Industrial Enterprises Worker- In 31 Industrial Area.
"They have started calling us in to work 15 minutes before the shift starts. Supervisors misbehave."

K.P. Tools Workers- Eidgah Colony, Sector 6.
"Helpers wages are 3,000, operators are 3,400 to 4,000."

Dudeja Industries Worker- in Industrial area in front of Whirlpool.
"150 workers make cables for Whirlpool fridges. Wages are 2,200 to 2,500."

WORKERS THROUGHOUT

(From New Series Number 255, September 2009)

E.D. Postal Employee-
"Gov't of India calls 3 lakh employees in the postal department as extra department (E.D.) We E.D. workers have got nothing from the 6th pay commission at this time. Our wages are 3200 to 3300 rupees. Before the Parliamentary Elections, assurances had been given that we would be recognized as Departmental Employees and our wages would be increased. Since elections took place, quite some time has passed since the formation of gov't and us E.D. employees' conditions still remain the same.

Haryana Roadways Driver
"In June and July 2008, through staff selection board, Gov't of Haryana hired 810 drivers and 1,200 conductors for state transport. New hires were called SPL and now drivers pay is 4,200 and conductors is 3,900. Whereas regular driver conductor ways after the 6th paid commission is around 15,000. Regular drivers, conductors on July 13th, gave a memorandum to the Management in which there was also a demand for regularization of SPL Drivers and Conductors. With the gov't not accepting the demands, on August 13th from 12 to 2 p.m., all buses of Haryana Roadways were stopped. In stopping buses for 2 hours, SPL drivers-conductors also joined the permanent ones."

Jammu Kashmir State Transport Workers
"After 5 months of oustanding wages, 4,500 employees of Jammu-Kashmir State Transport Corp. began to demonstrate daily in Srinagar beginning August 18th. On September 1st, after 15 days of demonstrations, 4,500 transport workers were joined by their families in the demonstration. Many protestors were injured by water canons, tear gas shells and baton charge by the police. 1,500 people were arrested.

Security Guard- CT-3x3 New Moti Nagar, Noida.
"Zenith Security Co. makes us guards work in two 12 hour shifts. No weekly rest for working 12 hours per day for 30 days. 3,200 wages are paid."

WAGE WORKERS IN GURGAON

Gaurav Int'l Worker- In 1918 Udyog Vihar Phase 1
"Every day duty is from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.. In thread-cutting and packing departments, it is from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. They lock the gates. Because of this, women workers face a lot of difficulty. There are 600 female workers in the factory and 1,000 male workers. Men are made to work even until 2 a.m. The company does not even give a cup of tea in 14 to 17 hours of work. Women workers are cursed at a lot. When people came to inspect on July 28, the Personnel Department said that there is only 10-12 hours of overtime...Whereas it is more than 150 hours. While stitching velvet, a lot of dust flies around. Last year they used to give jaggery (gourd) for this. But this year, they have stopped giving it. They gave jaggery on July 28th only when people came to inspect. There are only 3 machines for card punching. It takes 15 minutes to punch your card. You have to take 2 days off and your card is withheld. In Gaurav Int'l, factory located at 208 Phase-I and 506 Phase-III, the bosses curse at us and misbehave with us."

KRF Worker- In 403, Udyog Vihar Phase III.
"There are 800 workers in two 12 hour shifts. Color thread is used to make stitching thread and labels for clothes. Work on Sundays also. Whereas 150 to 200 hours overtime where only 60 to 70 hours is paid and that also by single rate. If you object, then you get cursed at. New helpers wages are 2,200 and old helpers are 2,500 rupees. Whereas old helpers are made to sign on 3,840. One operator is made to operate 2 machines and the wages are 2,500 to 3,000 rupees but signatures are taken on 1,400 rupees. On taking a day off, two days wages are cut. Only 200 out of 500 workers have ESI and PF."

Vishesh Overseas Worker- 450 Udyog Vihar, Phase-I.
"In a month, more than 100 hours of overtime of which 50 hours are paid and double the rate and the rest is at single rate. Upon leaving work, it is very difficult to obtain payment for the work that was done. Those who have left in June and July have not been paid till August 25th."

Seekul Exports- In 775 Udyog Vihar, Ph. V.
"Helpers wages are 2,700 to 3,000 rupees. And sewing operators are on peice rate and the rates are not told beforehand. Toilet gate is open from 11 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.; 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and then 4:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. because of which there are lots of problems."

Modlama Worker- 200 and 201 Udyog Vihar, Phase I.
"In the month of July, the shift starts at 8:30 a.m. On the 4th Sunday of July, work went on in the factory for half a night until 2 a.m. Work was done for 28 days in July. In a full-night, work goes from 8:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. Whether it be a an half night or two nights, money for meals is merely 20 rupees. GAP goods are made in the factory. When July overtime was paid on August 25th, then 500 to 1,000 rupees were cut from each worker's payment claiming that overtime had been too much!"

"In Modlama Factories located at Plot 105 and 204, the same things occur. Now in August, the shift begin at 9:30 a.m. One boy worked continuously for ten days from 9:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. After leaving work at 6 a.m., he started work at 9:30 a.m. That worker took a thrown-away peice to tie on his head and thereafter, an allegation of theft was made. He was thrown out and not paid for the work he had done.

Madhu Chawla Design Trend-783 Udyog Vihar Ph. V.
"There were 300 workers but now there are 50. Even the minimum wages set by the government are not paid. Helpers wages are 2,500 to 3,00 rupees. And skilled workers are 140 rupees for 8 hours."

Akuru Box Leather Worker-- 199 Udyog Vihar Ph-I.
"July wages have not been paid until August 29th."

Logwell Forge Worker- 116 Udyog Vihar Ph-I.
"There are two 12 hour shifts. On Sunday, 12 hour night shifts alone. Overtime payment is at single rate."

Spark Worker- 166 Udyog Vihar Ph-I.
"There are delayed wages given on August 20th. In wages and overtime payments, 400 to 500 rupees are siphoned. On leaving work, not even half the money for what is done is given. If one objects, the bosses start cursing. They misbehave with women workers. The wages of workers cutting thread is 2,500 but all others are paid the statutory minimum wage. ESI and PF are cut from the wages but when workers leave they don't fill the form for withdrawal of PF. Only the staff has been hired by the company directly. 300 workers have been hired through a contractor. There is no canteen. There is a problem of drinking water. And for 300 persons, there is only one toilet."

ITC Worker- 86 Udyog Vihar Ph.I.
"Lifestyle Retailing Business Division, ITC Co. has hired 150 workers as contractors. Amongst the main contractors, one does nto allow workers to complete 5 pays and without giving any severance pay dismisses them. Whereas the other contractor company upon completion of 5 years at once gives one month's notice pay and 15 days of holiday per year for severance. Here sampling tailors create samples of John Clear, Wills Classic, Wills Explort, Mispelier, Club Life. Whereas their production work is done in Bengalaroo, Ludhiana, Nepal etc.