Bajaj Auto has decided against any salary cuts to employees for the month of April at a time when Indian industry has been virtually paralysed by the Covid-19 scourge.
In a communique to employees, the company has said: “We have come to the conclusion that this is a time when we must act more from our hearts than our minds.” The decision to pay in full has been made despite the fact that employees were ready to go in for a wage cut for the period from April 15-30.
Reciprocal relationship
“Our business depends first and foremost upon each and everyone of us, from the top to the bottom. Before we reach out to support our larger society, we are first obliged to secure our own; so long as we can help it, not a single child of the last contract worker must sleep hungry on our watch,” says the Bajaj Auto mail to its employees. Consequently, everyone within the ecosystem, including all of the contract labour, will be paid their full salaries for April. The company will next review the issue towards the end of May while taking into account “the degree of positive impact on our business of the implementation of the progressive unlocking that is anticipated”.
For now, without the added burden of any wage-related financial stress, Bajaj Auto is quite categorical that the need of the hour is to “hopefully better focus all of our energy on the safety and well-being of all our families”. The Pune-based company’s move is quite significant as auto sales across segments were zilch through April with factories and dealerships closed due to the lockdown.
With losses mounting by the day, a whole lot of companies have decided to go in for wage cuts. “As soon as we are open for business, we shall as always as one spirited team have Bajaj Auto roaring back upon global roads full throttle,” concludes the company letter to its employees.