TN Government Employees Strike

(From my old article)
Government Employees' Strike

The TamilNadu government has been coming up with repeated
statements implying its financial crunch. The way finances have been
managed in the state has often left a lot to be desired. Like free
electricity to the farmers and the likes.

True, the cutting down on benefits may be primarily driven
by the lending agencies like the Worldbank. But people often forget to
see other restrictions that instutions like worldbank impose. For e.g.
recently they have been pushing the Indian government and state
governments very hard to cut down on free electricity and huge subsidies
in other sectors.

It is time-tested fact, that when economy is not exactly
pumping money into the coffers, the administrative agencies tend to
cut down on the benefits to employees. This is nothing new.

Government employees have been languishing at their canteens
most often than at their seats, and taking more breaks than the time
they actually are productive. This has its roots in many other
decisions like injudicious recruitment not based on merit, minimal
enforcement of job disciplines & rules and the major factor
*JOB SECURITY*.

How often have we heard people say it is like a "Government Job".
referring to minimal work hours, incredible job stability, regular
bonuses, umpteen paid vacations and so on. Ofcourse, one has to agree
that the downside about a government job is that, one is paid less
than private sector.But that is the nature of the beast. That, most
of the employees make do the difference, with bribes is totally
another issue.

What came as a rude shock to the state employees, was the fact that
their jobs are no more secure than any other jobs. Well, I for one
fully empathise with their feelings. If you were promised a secure
job and down the lane, when you are told that you will be let-go, it
is grossly unfair.

But, the entire discussion does not take into account, the gross
violation of terms and conditions of any employment agreement. Whatever
may have been disagreement, the employees can not go on with an
indefinite strike. May be a token-strike like what political parties
do and should have seeked recourse to Justice by court of law.

What we seem to hear from the employees is that, they will go on an
indefinite strike, still expect to be paid, still expected to remain
employed by the government.

Taking law into their hands by blackmailing the government into
submission should never be allowed to succeed. Once a precendent is set,
it will almost be, next to impossible in controlling such state-wide
break-down of the entire government system.

There-in lies my total support to the government. How fair is it to
expect an organisation ( be it government or private) to keep paying and
keep people employed for an indefinite period, be whatever may be the
disagreement with employees. How will the government run. Who will run
the government?. The cheif minister ?. The Cheif Secretary ?.

After all, one is hired to work and not to go on indefinite
strikes. Can you even imagine, a strike of similar magnitude happening
in a private sectors or in other countries?.

What baffles me, is the way the media & courts have been
projecting the entire thing. It is as if these striking employees were
all righteous employees who were working more than 40 hours a week every
week in their career and worked for the improvement of organisation, and
were suddenly dismissed for no fault of theirs ! It is as if the
government wants to dismiss all existing employees ( 13 lakhs & more) and
recruit 13 lakh new employees ?. Is it even remotely possible that such
thing could happen?

That exactly is what the employees seem to have taken advantage
of ! Even after repeated warnings by government, the employees chose to
on an indefinite strike and hence the government was well within its rights
to dismiss people who do NOT WORK.

The other dimension about the strike, is the role of the unions.
Unions typically are based on political patronage and rarely do they talk
or fight for any righteous cause.The unions force even people who are
not willing to participate in the strike. Not participating is never
an option. That is the nemesis of the entire system; political patronage.

Some months back, the employees of the transport department went
on indefinite strike. The entire transportation system paralysed. Then
not a single soul bothered to support them. So did the doctors. They went
on indefinite strike and after some pungent observations from the
high court bench, they withdrew the strike.

The state of the employees' mind seems to be heading in a very
bad and misguided direction due to dirty politics.Hope they realise the
trick that the opposition parties have up the sleeve and return to work.

One thing is for sure though, Government jobs are not going to be
same again.

State & Church

Disclaimer : Just my opinion ; this is not history, atleast not yet !

Rewind:
Ever since humans set foot on the face of the earth, faith and religion has been an integral part of one's life.

Once politics became a profession, workers felt the need to make decisions on their own and be independent of religious forces. The simplest thing they came up with was 'Secularism'- which simply meant everyone had the freedom to practise their own faith - and an indirect way of telling religious forces to 'back-off'. Politicians now had the freedom to do what they want :-) they could 'divide and rule' or even simply just 'divide' and NOT rule :-))

Current:
Indian politics can also be called 'politics of religion', where, as in most democracies, many people don't exercise their duty of voting towards the betterment of the democratic process in the country.

Politicians are as shrewd as they can get. They could get most people to vote, but would still not be sure whether their party would garner a specific percentage of the vote.

They decided to appeal to the psychology of peole, who when glorified as victims would tend to support the sympathizers. India has minority population of various religions to the extent of 15-20%. Hence all the minority promises, secular talk and majority ridicule. This way, they have consistently managed to get the rough 10-15% of DEFINITE voters !. Amazing business strategy.

However, they could have stopped at that. They went to the next step of accusing and blaming majorities for every single occurence in the country - which is bordering on insanity. They speak of intolerance, planned violence, killing of minorities.

Agreed that there may be pockets/groups of people in any religion that nurtures a hatred for other religions a.k.a. fanatics, but calling it a 'majority' thingie does not convey the true picture.

Look at any country except India - people are proud to say that they belong to the religion that they practise...

USA - Both president Bush & runner-up Kerry trumpetted that they had faith in God, and proud to be devout catholics. Government inauguration ceremonies were marked by President attending the church, having a priest at the gathering etc. Bush did not go to Buddhist temple or Mosque - he went to a place of 'his own belief', which is how it should be! Individuals decide what governs their faith or the absence of it. No one can act setting aside their beliefs and faith, for everyone believes in something - be it even the presence or absence of God :-)

Think of the hue&cry that would be raised when say ex-PM A.B.Vajpayee would have said, am proud to be a Hindu and going to a temple to mark his election!. That would be the end of the world for the so-called Secular Politicos of the country. It would simply trigger self-proclaimed secular media to blast him en-masse.

*WHY*, may i ask that when a majority person in India being proud of his belief is called a communal, hate-mongering fanatic ; When the same remark from a majoritarian in other countries is called God-fearing and principled

When the same remark comes from a minority person would it be called communal as well ?

Pray remove my blindness to such double-standards ?

http://www.debates.org/pages/trans2004d.html

Habitual Sleep Offender

Supreme court dismissed an employee who used to 'habitually sleep' during office hours. Looks like every single court had its own version of the dismissal, some holding that it was 'wrong' and finall SC gave the verdict - he is out !.

Wow, one wonders was he sleeping in office hours or working while sleeping :-) it also brings into focus the famous political party's (hint : this blog's name is inspired from the party) struggle for labor class... where have thy been ?

http://www.hindu.com/2005/01/20/stories/2005012008121100.htm

Sun TV telecasts Acharya Interrogation clips

Sun TV today telecast clips from Acharya's interrogation. Sri Jayendrar was seen expressing his discontent over his junior Sri Vijayendrar.

Many politicians/experts on multiple occasions have simply shut their voices up (on any controversies) and would say 'the matter is sub-judice and hence no comments'.

Not sure, how Sun TV is 'supra-judice' ? - they have been found so in several occasions on the past like the (in)famous arrest of Dr.KK & company.

wonder: is Sun TV supra judice or are they 'Justice' themselves - only time will tell

http://www.hindu.com/2005/01/13/stories/2005011308190100.htm

Journalism and Freedom

CBS ousts 4 over Bush Guard story
Story : CNN

Well, that was a nice coverup. As much as an excellent cleanup that was, there would not have been even a single attempt to do something similar in India. Back home, it would be called 'Freedom of the press' or even more correctly/relevantly dubbed as 'Attempt of the non-secular/communal forces to cripple the journalists their freedom to report information' :-)

These days the magazine with the title 'The Hindu' is acting so funnily that - the very same magazine that stood as the hallmark of fair&free reporting is now exactly what it is not !

One beings to wonder why 'The Hindu' has a religious title while calling others communal ;-)

- DumeelReuters, Copyright 3000