With an objective "to continue to maintain cordial and harmonious industrial relations” between the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and their "Class IV workmen, a three-year wage settlement has been signed with the Mumbai Mazdoor Sabha (MMS) effective from April 1, 2022. This is reportedly one of the few instances in recent times when an agreement has been finalized relatively quickly. The signatories were BPP chairwoman Armaity Tirandaz, trustee Xerxes Dastur and MMS president Chandbibi Zaidi.
"It was a Herculean task for me to get the settlement signed,” Zaidi told Parsiana on April 27. "The trustees are fighting among themselves at the cost of the workers… I was forced to take an aggressive stand.” Outgoing trustee Noshir Dadrawala was "very cooperative,” she stated. She was appreciative of previous chairmen Jamshed Guzder and Minoo Shroff.
Chairwoman Armaity Tirandaz did not respond to Parsiana’s request for comments.
Increases in wages have ranged from 20-30%, BPP trustee Kersi Randeria told Parsiana. The wage bill will increase by approximately two crore rupees over the three-year period.
Above (seated): Armaity Tirandaz (l) and Chandbibi Zaidi; (standing, from l) Viraf Mehta,
Kersi Randeria, Noshir Dadrawala and Xerxes Dastur
There is no mention in the agreement about special allowances to nassessalars for carrying corpses of the coronavirus affected to the dakhma. They had previously refused to do so in a letter, even if full protective gear is offered, quarantine leave is paid, an additional Rs 10,000 per pallbearer per cadaver is given, Covid insurance is provided for the entire family, etc. They even refused to clean the interiors of the dakhma assigned for Covid afflicted corpses (see "The pallbearers’ refusal,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, March 21-April 6, 2022).
The agreement applies to the approximately 211 workers including khandhias, bungli kamdars (workers), hearse drivers, paniwalas (water bearers) and solar operators at Doongerwadi. Office staff is covered under a separate agreement.
An attempt to thwart negotiations on a wage settlement agreement and leave the negotiations to the incoming board by BPP trusteeship candidate Dr Zuleika Homavazir was stymied by the Election Commission. Chief Election Commissioner Cmde Aspi Marker (retd) had opined, "Signing the agreement with the Union regarding wages and other conditions of service as is customary for a three-year period is not a major policy decision. As a matter of fact the trustees are obliged to negotiate and conclude settlement with the labor union from time to time… Further, negotiating with the Union does not amount to inducing or influencing voters.”
Only 21 of the Class IV employees are Parsis out of a total of 211. Trusteeship elections for seven seats are to be held on May 29 this year. Farrokh Jijina