Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Tuesday 11 September 1979

PRODUCTIVITY

Synopsis: Communication For Productivity
Letters written to some 7500 Workers / Managers / Union Leaders, following a period of strike / Go slow / Murders (1979 - 1987), at Mumbai factory of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. This direct / open / honest communication led to a remarkable atmosphere of trust between Workers and Management, which, in turn, increased productivity at 3% per year (ave).

11 SEP 1979

To:
Dear friends

PRODUCTIVITY

In  joint discussions  between the  Management  and Bharatiya Kamgar  Sena  Union   representatives  held  during  last  few months  immediately following the  wage settlement,  both the parties  have expressed  their  firm  commitment to  increase productivity, to keep our products competitive.

During  the  review  it  was  found   that  the  productivity increases, as  stipulated in the  Settlement, have  not taken place  in large  areas of  operations  although these  should have been achieved within three months of the Settlement.

This has become an area of major concern and we  have jointly drawn  up  action  plan  to  identify  specific  productivity targets and make efforts to achieve them.

It  is  recognized  that the  targeted  increases  in  Labour Productivity can mainly  come from the  collective efforts of all the workmen and the Supervisory staff.

It  is  agreed  to implement  the  following  with  immediate effect:

1.   Maximum  utilization of  working time  on the  machines/ jobs thereby eliminating unproductive time.

2.   Full  cooperation  in ensuring  adherence  to  specified  work timings and maintaining discipline.

3.   Cooperation  in  implementing agreed  job-classification  as provided in the recent Settlement.

4.   4.   For  areas   already  covered by  productivity  indices,  efforts   at   individual    level   to   increase   the  Productivity indices to the level as per the Settlement.

5.   5.   For  areas   with  no  Productivity   Indices  coverage,  increase, the  Productivity level by  25 points over the December 78 performance level.

6.   Holding of structured 3-tiered meetings at

     -  Shop floor level
     -  Unit level
     -  Powai level

on  a regular  basis, to  review and  improve productive performance.


The  BKS Union has  reaffirmed  its concern for  the need  to raise productivity and has 'agreed to extend full cooperation in the matter.   This can be achieved only with  the positive attitudes,  the  recognition of  the  motto 'Productivity  or Perish  and the whole-hearted  acceptance that  productivity is  the  concern  of  every   individual  employee.   We  are convinced that this is the major way  to ensure sustained and successful operations, resulting in growth of  the company in which all of us have. joint stake.

We are sure,  as in the past, all the  employees will rise to the  occasion,  with  an all-out  effort  to  achieve  higher levels of  Productivity and not allow  individual problems to interfere with the attainment of the common goals.

H.C. PAREKH