The Hindu Business Line : UK trade unions to forge links with Indian counterparts

The efforts being made by Indian trade unions to bring the BPO sector employees under their fold have received a shot-in-the-arm from their counterparts in the UK.

The British Trades Union Congress (TUC), whose five-member delegation was in the country to take a look at BPO operations of British companies in India, meet with Indian trade unions, the industry and the Government, said that it was looking to forge "effective global links" and render help from its end as there was a case for effective unions in the BPO sector.

Stronger links

Here in India to "get a sense of India's economic development and growth of new technology in the backdrop of increasing globalisation'', the TUC delegation said that it was impressed with the developments in the technology sector and would like to build stronger links between operations in both countries as they represented British members affected by the offshoring business.

Emphasising that TUC sees its role in building successful, effective and responsible organisations that keep in mind employee interest, Mr Brendan Barber, General Secretary, Trades Union Congress, said the union already had links with two nascent union organisations in India, the IT Professional Forum and UNITES, the latter in fact was in the process of seeking affiliation to the INTUC. "We would like to influence employers and give the unions direct and indirect support,'' he said reiterating that a proper balance needed to be struck between employer and employee interest.

Regular contact

TUC sees it in the interest of its membership to be in regular contact with both its counterparts in India and China — "the drivers of globalisation'' — and British companies that are using the offshoring strategy.

In the IT and telecom sector, TUC's approach in Britain is to reach an agreement with employers looking to offshore their business that is in favour of its membership.

This includes early consultations with the unions of their intentions, redeployment of workers in the UK and while relocating adoption of ethical standards in employment.

TUC would also be looking at standards being adopted by Indian companies investing in the UK and is already associated with Lord Swraj Paul's industries, with which it has " a good working relationship''.

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