Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

A passion to uplift the toiling people

`Trade unions should have commitment and confidence'

— Photo: K. Ananthan

Coimbatore: A. Subramaniam, State President of the Hind Mazdoor Sabha, has been involved with activities of the textile workers' trade unions here for over four decades. An octogenarian, who has seen the ups and downs of the textile sector here, he shares his views with M. Soundariya Preetha on the emerging areas of focus for the unions. In the early 1960s Coimbatore had about 100 textile mills. The textile workers' unions here were fighting for higher wages and better working conditions. At that time Mumbai had the highest wages for textile mill workers followed by Ahmedabad. And, it was at this juncture that Mr. Subramaniam came here to head the Coimbatore District Textile Workers' Union, affiliated to the HMS.

Born at Kodungalur in Kerala, Mr. Subramaniam did his schooling in his hometown and college studies at Thrissur. He joined the freedom movement in 1942 and was imprisoned for violating the prohibitory order. Having decided to devote more time to serving society, he offered his services to the needy when a cholera epidemic broke out in 1943. He used to go house-to-house in coastal Kerala and provide medicines to those down with the disease.

"I joined the trade union only to work for social justice and for the uplift of the toiling people." And, this has been his objective and passion since then, heading the union for workers in different sectors - transport, handloom, engineering or textiles.

Continuing with such social activities he came to Mettur from Thrissur in 1944 as M. Surendran, who headed the Mettur Mill Workers' Union, was looking out for a person with Malayalam and English knowledge to help the workers. He moved over to Chennai from there and came to Coimbatore in 1964 to head the Textile Workers Union here. "Understanding between the unions and management was not much then." Only some employers were progressive and understanding, he says.

In 1972, the Tamil Nadu textile workers' joint action council was formed with seven unions and Mr. Subramaniam was actively involved in its formation. The JAC was needed since the unions had to work together for wage revision. Be it bonus, wages, or DA increase, the unions played a vital role, he says.

About the current situation, he says that the mills saw a long spell of recession between 1996 and 2004. About 500 mills were closed down in the State during that period. Only now the situation has improved. Workers benefit only when the mills are doing well. He recollects his appeal for concessions for textile exports during the recession. It is now a period of change in management and workers, moving to the next generation. Situations have changed now. "Union formation is not just restricted but even prevented in many units now," he alleges. The financial needs of the workers have gone up. The issues of focus for the unions continue to be wages and worker benefits.

Earlier, units used to have about 80 per cent permanent workers. Now, it is just about 20 per cent. "If there is permanency, workers will gain confidence." The trade unions should also have commitment and confidence, he adds.

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