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Employers right to fire employee

P. M. G. Pillai, Mannar, Kerala

This refers to the news item ``Exporters seek mandate to hire and fire'' (Business Line July 31, Page 8). Right from the first independent Government headed by Jawaharlal Nehru, an error has been committed in viewing and understanding the relationship be tween an employer and his staff. During the struggle for freedom every option was considered right to attain the goal of Independence, though Mahatma Gandhi expressed views against this policy. But no one considered it worthwhile to understand it or view it seriously.

The workers were the only group organised to protest, agitate, offer satyagraha, even indulge in disorderliness on a mass-scale. This attitude of the political leadership generated feeling of pro-labour acts or legislation which has given the workforce u nequal rights. This has been indiscriminately used by the political bosses with the encouragement and support of unscrupulous politicians.

Now the workforce thinks it is their right to indulge in any unruly behaviour, stop work, abuse the employer, and harass him in every way possible though they enjoy his cover for employment. This is certainly obnoxious and deserves to be erased from this country. Equality in right is a laudable quality but do we practice this in reality? VIP, VVIP and different classes of state protection are given to the political leaders. But without `Z' category-plus protection they cannot exist. What is the meaning of popularity?

The person who gives employment to another individual takes on so many risks: Investment of his savings; borrowing from banks or financial institutions; unknown technology; and marketing of an unknown product.

All these carry enormous risk but this person is condemned as a `capitalist,' whereas the person who enjoys his labour is categorised as the force responsible for production. This is neither a right nor a reasonable approach. People who employ labour mus t have the inherent right to assess an employee's ability, sincerity, honesty and loyalty towards the unit. This cannot be termed a `hire-and-fire' but a rational approach to utilise people for all-round development, both of the unit and of the economy.