TEXTILE STRIKE (1979) rationalization without retrenchment and

increased productivity because productivity

was much higher in the western mills.
Textile strike in Delhi took place in 1979
where the basic issue was wages, a
Delhi administration started conciliation
traditional and unsophisticated issue. On
proceedings and then referred the matter to
the face of it, the strike appeared to be a
an Industrial Tribunal but no solution
response to an environmental factor i.e.,
emerged from the process. Thereafter, the
competitor’s wages. But environment
strike was supplemented by dharnas in
provided only the trigger, the fuel came
front of Home Minister’s residence and a
from within.
bandh on 11 October. The bandh led the
government to advice the NTC mill to settle
The strike was called by 24,000 workers of 5
with the workers.
textile mills of which one was a public
sector unit under the NTC. The strike
Birla Cotton Mill followed suit but the DCM
continued for 114 days from 27 June 1979
group of 3 mills held out longer. However,
till 18 October 1979. During this period the
the settlement was finally reached on 18
loss of production on account of strike was
October with employees conceding an
Rs. 19 Crore, loss of wage was Rs. 4.25
adhoc relief of Rs. 45 / month from January
Crore and total mandays lost due to strike
01, 1979, Rs. 6 / year increment for 5 years
was 1.6 million mandays.
and undertaking not to victimize workers
for the strike.
The strike came after wage hike of Rs. 45 in
the Bombay and Ahmedabad textile mills in
Issue of DA (Dearness Allowance) was
March 1979. On account of that Delhi
referred to arbitration and issue of
workers organized under 9 unions formed a
rationalization and productivity norms was
Sangarsh Samiti under the leadership of
referred to an expert committee of NPC. It
AITUC and demanded parity.
was difficult for DCM management to do
anything else since other 2 employees had
Employers were willing to concede to wage
already conceded as much.
demand provided workers agreed to

1
BANK STRIKE (1979) Branches affected most were in CITU
dominated Calcutta and Bombay. In the
mean time Grindlays was betrayed in
Major strike call by 56 branches of
part by Merchantile Bank which paid
Grindlays Bank in mid November 1979,
lump sum of Rs. 3500 as settlement
by AIBEA affiliated to AITUC (AITUC
money and Chartered Bank which
till 1990s was dominant union in
agreed to pay 20% bonus for all
banking industry). Employees owed
employees. Because of this Bank’s
allegiance to CITU or its banking
customers accused Grindlays of rigidity,
federation – the BEFI, even though
but management continued to be
officially the AIBEA was involved.
adamant.
Dominant issue was employment, a pet
On 28 January 1980, employees at
issue of CITU in 1970s and 80s. Recall
branches in Delhi, Amritsar, and
that employment in banking industry
Srinagar withdrew from strike and
after the initial phase of rationalization
joined work, but other centers continued
in late 1960s, had stagnated for some
to be strike-bound. In response to this
time making recruitment negligible
management put out advertisement
during late 1970s and to this was added
condemning the strike as illegal and
the mechanization measures started
appealing in the name of customers.
during this period.
Ultimately in February 1980,
While the main demand was against
government intervened first by
mechanization, bonus was also
appealing to both the parties to sit for
demanded and the reason for that was
discussion and then by constituting
managerial salaries had increased so
national tribunal in Bombay. The
employees felt they should also share in
condition was that management shall
extra profits though statutory bonus rate
not have to concede to anything more
was 4%.
than what they legally required to pay,
however, they paid a price later in terms
of shrinkage of deposits and lending.