You need not be a Master Of Business Administration (MBA) and for that matter any degree or diploma holder in any of the managment courses to deal with any kind of labour problems, where you happen to be a management executive or owner. Sheer common sense plus an element of diplomacy and compassion towards your employers or labourers, if not empathy sufficient to deal with their grievances and settle matters amicably. A management execuitve if he is an egomaniac and a stubborn one, no amount solutions seem possbile to solve the problems and demands of his sub-ordinates. Only benefit being he can claim to the top of his voice, extoll himself from a high pedestal, his management qualifications and his 'rare virtue' of breaking a strike declared by the employees. This hubris never lands him anywhere instead he will have to make a climb- down with egg on his face.
Furthermore, quite unawares by pushing the employees back to the wall he infact is extending a helping hand to the employees by providing a chance to sink their differences if any thus facilitating their regrouping bringing them under a single umbrella. Especially in an era of liberalisation and globalisation when the trade unions' bargaining capacities are showing signs of dwindling the tendencies to suppress them by an iron hand fortunately helps the trade unions to gain strength eventually bringing the stubborn management to its knees. Suppression of any kind anywhere and everywhere feeds resistance and more resistance leads to more power and strength to the victims. Hence a resurgence of trade unions and collective bargaining will be more visible across the world especially European nations in the coming dates.
Greece witnessed it already, followed by Hungary, Spain, Britain and France is caught in a turmoil of its worst kind for the past one month or so. All, the aftermath of global recession followed by austerity measures adopted by these countries. It is quite unthinkable on the part of employees being deprived of their hard-earned rights on a fine morning pointing out this and that. For instance under the pretext of adopting austerity measures, raising the retirement age scaling down the existing salaries, pension amounts, reducing recruitment drives, rendering many educated youth unemployed - all unimaginable and deplorable.
If trade unions protest against such moves and strike work, organise processions and rallies, turn violent leading to clashes with police and army personnel, how is it possible for us to squarely blame them for it. Fighting for the legitimate demands are trade union rights and fighting to the hilt till the demands are met for which these unions were formed by great revolutionaries of yester years their primary responsibility.
It seems Nicholas Sarkozy, French President derives a thrill to the verge of orgasm in turning a stubborn attitude towards the irate, restless employees and students, millions and millions of them by not coming to terms with their just demands. His govt's decision to raise the pension age from 60 to 62 years old, even while it was on the anvil was sternly objected to by millions of French employees. Paying no heed to their objections, protests and demands the man went on with the move with the active connivance of the infamous Labour Minister Eric Woerth and got it passed in the Lower House of Parliament. Employees' rage aggravated, they went on with protest rallies and strikes but no, Sarkozy remained adamant took the next step forward. While tension was mounting on one side with students also joining the striking workers of factories, railways, post-offices, educational and health institutions, his govt got the bill passed in the Upper House, the Senate. The next week it is scheduled to be presented before the Parliament , its permission a forgone conclusion.
Meanwhile employees have declared strike on thursday followed by another strike on Novemebr 6 with a vow to not to back-track from their agitational path till their demands are met.
Sarkozy's diminishing popularity rate, we can very well assume - no need to go through statistics - and this fellow's stubbornness really astounding.
It is a conclusion foretold that before the collective might of millions he would have to bow down in the end. Even otherwise his Presidential ambitions of 2012 will certainly be his Waterloo. Please dont' be mistaken readers, by mentioning Waterloo, I am not in anyway comparing that giant of a warrior like Napolean Bonaparte with such a 'pigmy' like Nicholas Sarkozy. By doing a yeoman service to French Trade Unions by bringing them under a single umbrella he has infact intensified the coming together of trade unions across Europe and thus their diminished fortunes are seeming to be on the upswing.
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