Saare, now it's our turn! Photo: Rajesh Parambil
The labour and trade unions of Kerala have always been any industrialist’s nightmare come true. Nowhere in India can you come across a labour class which is more aware and willing to fight hard for its ‘avakaashangal’ (rights) than that flourishing in here. Their demands are quite often out of this world, and would surely make even a saint lose his halo. Strange and unheard of labour practices are their stock-in-trade, the worst of which perhaps is the ‘nokkukooli’ or a levy in return for literally watching over some one else doing their job of loading or unloading of goods.
You can find the members of this ’smart working class’ at almost very junction in any city of Kerala. A red (or blue or green or khaki) shirt, depending on their political affiliation is their trade mark; a carelessly wrapped colourful lungi completes their working clothes. Arrogance marks both their walk and talk. Smug in the security of their numbers, they personify the age old principle of co-operation: “One for all, all for one”.
And now, it is the turn of the All Kerala Elephant Workers Union to go on strike. Their demands are heavy – they want their job contracts to be reviewed and wages raised.
Keeping in view the ever-rising prices and cost of living in Kerala, one can hardly blame the guys, but on the other hand, there may be few amongst us who have not witnessed the wanton cruelty meted out to the animals that these men are entrusted with.
No wonder then that over the years, there have been umpteen instances of elephants turning on their ‘paappaans’ (mahouts) from sheer desperation.
Now, as these elephant handlers are all set to stop work (even to the extent of leaving their haples charges chained and hungry), shouldn’t the authorities take this opportunity to make these ‘aanathozilaalis’ (elephant caretakers) accountable for their actions and link their benefits to the proper care of the gentle animals they depend on for their livelihood?
