Organising Initiatives
©2008 UNI INDIA
UNIon Development & Organising Center
UNIDOC
UNI global union to coordinate development projects and help trade unions organize in India – with the help of a growing network of UNIDOC centers. The Working Group brings together the Asia Pacific region and UNI’s sectors to build union membership in one of the world’s key economies and so strengthen union influence in the South Asia region.
Union Development and Organising Centers presently established in India are functioning from Hyderabad, New Delhi and Bangalore and planned for Chennai and Mumbai. The present UNIDOC is continuation of the UNI-APRO’s CBPOP (Centre for Business Process Outsourcing Professionals’) project launched in July, 2004 with the establishment of two service centers in Hyderabad and Bangalore headed by J.S.R. Prasad and N.R. Hegde respectively. The basic strategy of the project is to establish contact, convince (create awareness and appreciation of trade unionism) connect (provide network for these employees) and finally to consolidate such network of professionals into trade unions – at the enterprise, regional and national levels.
The basic strategy of the project is to establish contact, convince (create awareness and appreciation of trade unionism) connect (provide network for these employees) and finally to consolidate such network of professionals into trade unions – at the enterprise, regional and national levels.
The first venture of CBPOP (the present UNIDOC) is culminising the employees of ITES in various cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad & Mumbai and formed the state units. The representatives of the state units of ITES organisation had two days conference at Mumbai from 23rd to 24th September 2005.This conference was attended by ILC leaders and overseas delegates was sponsored by UNI-APRO.
• This led to the formation of UNITES an independent trade union to be assisted by CBPOP
• CBPOP started mobilizing workers in the new economy covered by UNI viz Property maintenance, Commerce, Hair and Beauty, Private Telecom, Private Banks and Logistics (Cargo & Courier services)
• CBPOP structure has enormous potential to support UNI-APRO and UNI-ILC.
• This led to formation of UNIDOC - Union Development and Organising Centers for providing secretarial assistance to the incubating Unions.
• UNIDOC also has the responsibility with social dimension to implement UNI’s campaign effectively in INDIA.
UNIDOC activates across India is listed below:
The UNIDOC’s provide support to UNI’s more than 0.4 million members in India in their organising drives and to attract new affiliates from among the many unions operating in UNI’s skills and service sectors.
1. UNIDOC Office is helping newly formed Unions like UNITES, UNICOME and Security Guards Union and assisting in terms of Infrastructure and secretarial assistance provided to UNIDOC from UNI-APRO.
UNIDOC and UNITES:
Information Technology or in short IT – this new generation industry gives everyone great hopes, expectations and amazing career opportunities, of course with excellent salaries. India being the world’s IT hub, the whole world had a very rosy image of this industry. But, in fact IT employees were facing a lot of issues related to their health, atrocities & irregularities by their managements. There was no one representing them or who could listen to them and solve their problems.
Organizing of ITES started in the form of CBPOP which contacted ITES workers in the Metro’s and finally culminated in September 2005 with the formation of UNITES, with support from UNI APRO took a bold decision to initiate and start a Trade Union for IT & ITES employees. A platform was created so that IT/ITES employees could meet and discuss / voice their problems.
There were several groups meetings conducted in various places to propagate the necessity of a union in BPO and Call Centre sector. Many BPO and Call Centre employees participated in these meetings and discussed various problems viz. pay, incentive, working hours in their respective companies and agreed to form a union.
UNIDOC has conducted “Workshops for Potential Organizers from UNITES / UNICOME”. More than 30 participants attended each day and involved in various group meetings and activities during this workshop.
A group meeting with Call Centre / BPO Employees in Bangalore
A group meeting with Cell Centre / BPO Employees in Hyderabad
UNITES have signed 5 CBAs (Collective Bargain Agreement). A comprehensive organizing strategy which will target a major percentage of ITES employees has been planned and will be implemented shortly. This campaign is called as “e-UNITES”, where awareness and membership drive will be done using website, email, sms and also other viable electronic medium.
Media (Paper and Electronic) have also been pro actively giving the much required coverage to UNIDOC and its activities.
UNIDOC and Private Security Guards:
The word “Security” means safety, safekeeping, protection, defense and “Guard” means protector, safeguard. Unfortunately, the security guards are the least secured. They have been misutilised, humiliated, have long working hours with no overtime pay, little or no social or family life and a very insecure future.
UNIDOC is supporting in organizing Security Guards. The constant effort to form the Security Guards Union has materialized and in the beginning of 2006 a union for Security Guards is formed duly registered as per Trade Union Act. 1926. Subsequently the newly formed union “The Private Security Guards Union” is affiliated to UNI. This is the first union which is affiliated to UNI in this sector from India. Today Indian Security Workers Initiative is currently mapping the Security workers at their work spot across. The Security Campaign focuses on We care for your safety – but who cares for ours?
UNIDOC has closely associated with the Security Guards union and ISWOI (Indian Security Workers Organising Initiative) in organising Security Guards in Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Cochin. SEIU has extended a project to organise Security Guards in India is being monitored by ISWOI Committee. UNIDOC is extending all the possible assistance like secretarial, infrastructure and logistic.
UNIDOC and Commerce Sector Employees:
UNICOME is the registered Union representing Commerce/Retail Sector. This is the emerging sector with multiple problems faced by the sector employees. In view of this, UNIDOC has conducted various group meetings and seminars, workshops to increase awareness among Commerce sector employees. Participants attended these seminars enthusiastically discussed various difficulties i.e., non payment of salary, extra work without payment etc. A committee was also formed in democratic way. Till now more than one thousand workers have already filled UNICOME forms from different Retail / Commerce sector establishment’s viz. METRO, Food World, Adishwar India Limited, Big Bazaar, Forum Mall, Alankar Plaza, Johnson Market, Shoppers Stop, Pantaloon, Gold Soukmall, Subhiksha, Reliance Fresh, Reebok, MGF Mall, Satyam Mall, Relaxo, Heritage, Cauvery Handicrafts, Bombay Fashion Store etc.
UNICOME is making allout efforts to bring in CBAs. UNIDOC is helping UNICOME to resolve the following: • Harassment on Workers by Metro Management • Overtime Work with out any Payment • Denial of Annual Leaves • Cheating in Cash • Dismissal of Workers • Cheating of Customers • Sexual Harassment
UNIDOC and Private Bank, Insurance employees:
A new initiative has been taken in Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad to organise Private Bank, Insurance employees under the banner of New Generation Network this has resulted in bringing workers from private banks and insurance together. This will be paving a way for the formation of UNIFINE (Union for Finance Employees). This was possible mainly due to the excellent support got from existing unions in the sector.
UNIDOC and Private Telecom:
With the help of existing affiliates of UNI and from other contacts of new unions like UNITES, UNICOME, UNIDOC is under creating a new union “UNIMOBE”(Union for Mobile Employees).
UNIDOC and Logistics employees:
UNIDOC is making allout effort in formation of UNILOGE(Union for Logistic Employees).
UNIDOC and IT Training: With the support of UNI APRO, UNIDOC Bangalore & Hyderabad set up a Computer Training Centre at its office premises to train members from UNI affiliated unions in computer education. After setting up of the training centre we got the opportunity to train backward classes economically challenged students. Interested members from various UNI affiliated unions and their children are being trained. The faculties salary etc. are being managed by UNIDOC itself.