Tata Workers’ Union (TWU), the labour union of Tata Steel, has entered the 100-year club. The union started its journey as the Labour Association in 1920 after a month-long strike, following which Suren Haldar, Barrister-at-law (then) from Calcutta arrived to lead the striking labourers and negotiate with the management. TWU is the first labour union to complete 100 years in the country and has a rich legacy.
“People are aware of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s contribution in freedom struggle, but few know that he was the president of the Labour Association, Jamshedpur, rechristened later as Tata Steel Workers’’ Union, for nine long years,” said an official of the union.
He informed that following a prolonged strike, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose came to Jamshedpur in August, 1928 and provided leadership to the union, helping reach an agreement with the management and ending the strike. That was the last trade union strike at Tata Steel.
Netaji battled for the workers’ rights vigorously. His attitude to management was always positive and he viewed the company’s struggle for survival as a part of a national struggle.
This little known fact can be learnt from a letter Netaji had written to the then managing director of Tata Steel ( then TISCO), N B Sakalatbala, way back in November 12,1928. The confidential letter, written by Netaji who was the president of the union from 1928 to 1937, showcases his deep concern for Indian workers in industries at a time when Britishers were occupying key positions in all sectors.
As the company was largely dominated by Britishers at that time, Netaji was made the association’s president on the advice of national leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, to speed up the process of Indianisation.
Prior to this on March 20, 1920, Dorabji Tata arrived and announced terms of settlement and most importantly, gave recognition to the Labour Association. Subsequently Prof Abdul Bari, the then Deputy Speaker of Bihar Legislative Assembly and member of Bihar Labour Enquiry Committee, was elected as the President of the Union in 1936. It was he who later changed the name of the Union to Tata Workers’ Union in 1937.
Under Prof Bari’s leadership, the union launched a peaceful movement for a thorough revision of the wage structure, introduction of the incentive bonus scheme etc. Besides Prof Abdul Bari, TWU over the last ten decades, has seen leaders like Surendra Nath Haldar, C F Andrews, while Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose took over as the President of the Union in 1928.
Tata Workers’ Union president R Ravi Prasad said that it is only due to the spirit of ‘working together’ that they have been able to achieve this milestone.