Strike and Bandh: Two sides of a Coin

    To go on strike or observe bandh, on both front its biggest loser is India, because economically it cost hugely to India, as per estimates, last month’s bandh call of opposition parties of one day, to protest against inflation, financial loss to some of major states were (all figures are in Indian Rupees) –

• Jharkhand – 1.2 billion
• Kerla – 900 million
• Tripura – 900 million
• Orissa – 1.2 billion
• West Bengal – 4.96 billion

after the tragedy of Mangalore accident, two Unions of Air India by name  –

• Air Corporation Employees Union
• All India Air Craft Engineer Association

suddenly, went on two days strike, Delhi High Court while announcing its verdict, declared strike of these unions illegal, second hard decision came from Civil Aviation ministry-

• End the recognition of both these corporations
• Seal the offices’ of both the employees unions
• Fifty eight employees suspended
• Twenty four employees terminated

but in this process one hundred and thirty flights were cancelled, which left stranded scores of air passengers and their switch over in hurry to private airlines cost them three fold more prices of tickets, and strike cost to Air India loss of 100 million of revenues.
     Both above coded examples show that Strike or Bandh its ultimate sufferer is Indian economy. During nineteenth century strike was mean to express protest, in every democracy without effecting public, they were given right to go on strike, but with changing time strike meaning also change and people enjoy strike as holiday, and bandh call by political parties or by religious communities or by organizations often forcibly shut down the private shops/business premises and if anybody oppose or ignore them, then there shops/business premises either looted or set ablaze or stone pelted, but political parties or Unions or organizations should understand that common people have not did anything wrong to them, instead they should come up with some innovative ideas to go on strike, so that at the time of agreement there should not be financial and working days loss. Below is example of strike in Japan by shoe factory workers in which they bend management to accept their demands but without lose of working hours or financial to the factory –
     In a shoe factory of Japan employees were not happy and satisfied with their salaries and packages’ just to pressurise management they went on strike but with different style they were keep on working in the factory as usual but making only one foot shoe this way the product was manufacturing and stocks keep on piling but only one side which was wastage of material, power and worker productivity, when this process keep on continue for a week then management step ahead and talk to the employees and accepted there demands but at the same time asked who will bear useless production they produced, then workers leader respond it is not a loss and wastage but now worker will make other foot shoe, thus will make a pair which will complete and saleable in the market. Management impress and workers happy that their demand met and production was also not effected because of strike by workers so it was win win situation for everybody.
      Number of days, in a year, which goes waste because of bandh in different parts of country is as per records West Bengal is top in the list and then follow by Tamilnadu and then by Gujarat. From Government side stringent law is required to tackle bandh and strike especially when they become reason of loss of property and forcibly shut the private shop keeper or business premises, it should be in law if they do violence on the day of strike or bandh then financial loss would have to be born by caller.