– Never Fear To Negotiate, But Never Negotiate Out Of Fear –
On 21st August, the Parsi community was hit by an avoidable crisis brought on by the BPP’s Class IV employees who decided to call a “1-day Mass Casual Leave”, which could possibly be termed as an illegal strike, as per sources inside the BPP. The Class IV employees comprise maalis (gardeners), sweepers, khandiyas (pall bearers) and watchmen, affiliated with the Union. The Mumbai Mazdoor Sabha sent a letter to the trustees of the BPP dated 14th August, 2018 stating, “To mark and commemorate this auspicious occasion (Parsi New Year), the workers and Parsi staff have unanimously decided to observe a mass casual leave on Tuesday, 21st August 2018 as a protest”. Supposedly, the one-day mass casual leave was a protest against the BPP not having paid the bonus before the Parsi New Year, even though the agreement between the BPP and the Sabha clearly gives BPP the time to pay this Bonus upto Diwali.
The concern and panic was not so much to do with a one-day inconvenience that would be caused by the absence of gardeners, sweepers or watchmen… as it was about the unacceptable absence of the pall bearers, who on that day, refused to perform the most important duty related to the last rites of the deceased at the Doongerwadi.
Strangely, just three weeks ago, the BPP Class IV Union Leader (about 20 of them) along with an office bearer of the Union (not a BPP employee) had met the Trustees during the course of their Board Meeting. The discussion was extremely civil and both sides agreed to reconvene after the 23rd of August, the day on which the next BPP Board Meeting was scheduled. However, for reasons best known only to them, the Union seems to have adopted a collision course with the Trustees by not only going on a one-day mass casual leave but ridiculing the Trustees and mocking the entire community by making distasteful comments about eating ‘masoor-pau’ instead of ‘chicken pulau and machhi’. This extremely objectionable letter was also given to the mainline media either by the Union itself or by some other vested interests, making what would and should have been a small incident into a major fiasco!
Despite meeting the Trustees three weeks ago and the three Trustees (Kersi Randeria, Noshir Dadrawala and Viraf Mehta) speaking to the leader Dhunji Naterwala, the Union took a rigid step and decided to go ahead with their ‘mass casual leave’ on Tuesday, 21st August, 2018.
The choice of date was unfortunate in more ways than one – not only the fact that the pall bearers also went on this day’s causal leave, leaving the entire community aghast and angry by their action, but the day was timed in such a way that it was just one day before the auspicious day of Khordad Sal. This meant that residents of Baugs would not have the garbage cleared and that one day before Khordad Sal, their houses and colonies would remain dirty.
Parsi Times has been informed from reliable sources that a few days before the action was to take place, BPP Chairman Yazdi Desai, along with Trustee Kersi Randeria, had a meeting with Doongerwadi Manager Vistaspar Mehta along with a few staff members to make careful and detailed plans to ensure smooth handling of any paidast that may need to be attended to on the day of the mass casual leave. It is to the credit of this meticulous planning that everything was executed to perfection and the Doongerwadi continued to work smoothly and efficiently. Here credit must also be given to members of the community, namely Noser Sutaria, Shahrukh Billimoria, Rumi Marawalla and Rusi Gandhi – who volunteered and helped the BPP staff on that day.
What is of utmost concern and perplexing is why did a Union, led by a Parsi Union Leader, Naterwala, chose to opt for the alleged strike or mass casual leave at the Doongerwadi, which may, by its very definition, fall under what is called, ‘Essential Services’. However, what is heartening to note is that the entire community united to stand as one in support of the Trust in this matter. There were no complaints or criticisms, and in fact, community members specially called up the Trustees insisting that strict action be taken against the erring Union.
Most Baug residents will confirm, as has been said in the past, that none of the Class IV workers are ever known to work for more than 2 hours in a day, and just before Navroz and Khordad Sal, many go house to house, asking for the traditional ‘Pateti’. Under these circumstances, Community members were enraged with the Class IV employees for their brazen attitude and their ruthless stance. It is perhaps the reflection of the Union’s mindset that they chose to do this during the festive days, between New Year and Khordad Sal.
Also, their act of taking this to the mainline media has demeaned the entire community and has damaged the image of the Community; especially when the annual Bonus is required to be paid before any one of the three festivals – Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali or Parsi New Year, as recorded in the Union Agreement. This fact was pointed out to the Union by Yazdi Desai in his letter to them one day before the mass casual leave. Desai also pointed out that only the Parsi New Year had gone by, and the two available deadlines were still some time away. Parsi Times has been informed that the BPP, had never said that it wouldn’t pay the Bonus. Therefore, this action was both – premature and uncalled for.
On Thursday, 23rd August, the BPP Trustees held their first meeting post New Year and have unanimously passed the resolution to take strict legal action, as available to them, under the law, against the erring Class IV workers.
Parsi Times has also heard of a disturbing rumour that one of the Trustees could have allegedly colluded with the Sabha in meeting the Parsi staff and instigating them to go for this mass casual leave by ensuring them of the Trustee’s support. Should this allegation be true, then this will be one of the most disturbing factors to emerge out of this sorry and sad saga.
If this self-declared meeting did take place with Parsi workers for allegedly instigating the strike, then it will be one of the lowest lows yet to which, not just Parsi politics, but even humanity has been compromised.
EXCERPTS FROM INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE:
By BPP Chairman Yazdi Desai to Dhunji Naterwalla, Gen. Sec., Mumbai Mazdoor Sabha:
“We are also shocked by the sarcasm in your communication which I believe was intended to be funny but is downright rude and insulting to the Trustees and to our beloved community. I request you to please stick to the issues and avoid such unnecessary sarcasm. Such an attitude can only adversely affect the cordial relations that exist between our Trust and its employees.
The mass casual leave is a concerted action by your Sabha members under a common understanding and it tantamounts to an illegal Strike for which the Trust is entitled to take appropriate legal action…”
By Trustee Kersi Randeria:
The Union has been rude beyond acceptable norms. They have mocked us and gone to the main line newspapers, ridiculing us and our community with quips about Masur Dal vs Chicken Pulav Dal and Saas Ni Machhi….
Seriously?
They are using Doongerwadi to hammer us into submission.
UNACCEPTABLE!!!
Do not forget the panic in the minds of the community that this Doongerwadi threat created. Nothing but nothing can justify this fear and pain that this threat has caused particularly to those who may already be anxious and in pain due to the serious illness of a beloved family member.
All for a Saas Ni Machhi……??? And some Chicken Pulao??????
No way!
Not on my time!
Not on my guard!!!!!
I called Mr Naterwalla to wish him Saal Mubarak on Parsi New Year and we spoke once again the next day. Both times he was unbelievably rude and unnecessarily aggressive! This I accept with grace. But a Parsi Union leader threatening to bring our Doongerwadi to a grinding halt for Pulav and Machhi?
NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!
Let us meet love with love…. Peace with peace… And threats with a strong response…..
By Trustee Noshir Dadrawala:
“Never fear to negotiate but never negotiate out of fear.”
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