My blog identity has never been more different from my real self than right now. I am exceptionally silent on the blog but have been talking and talking with lots and lots of my friends, people I love. So do not think of this silence as some low phase in my real life.
However, the urge to update the blog comes irrespective of the way I am communicating otherwise. There used to be days when I couldn't communicate very well with most and so the blog gave me a way. But not right now.
Today I wish to write something very specific. This is about the service care staff of my institute. When I joined this institute I was given a hostel room the day I arrived. I was lucky, to say the least. I had bought a lock and key, was going out to buy a broom and a mop. But I was immediately informed by seniors that one doesn't need to do that. There is cleaning staff here. They come and clean rooms everyday. And they are so trustworthy that one doesn't even need to lock the rooms. I had never before stayed in a hostel. Just out of the house, I took long time to come to terms with the fact that I don't have to lock my room when I leave. But now like many others, I hardly ever (read never) lock my room. And trust me, I have never lost even a penny from my room.
I got to know these people more as the years passed. They are really extremely poor people. Many of them unskilled workers, with very big families to take care. I used to believe for very long that they are permanent employees of the institute. But recently, about a year back, I came to know that they are hired on a contract basis. They have been working here for last 15 years and they have been on a contract. Which means, they will not be permanent ever (irrespective of number of years they have worked). About six months back, these people were informed that their contract has ended. Which means, from the day they were informed they would get 5-6 more days to pack their bags, find new jobs and leave. Now, many of them are middle-aged women (in the age range of 40-45. Old enough to not get another job), many are unskilled. The skilled one's (cooks, electricians, gardeners, carpenters) might find a job more easily. But not the unskilled ones. They came to us and sobbed. But we knew that there was nothing we could do to help them. Fortunately, six months back they were allowed to continue for few more months.
Everyone knew this was not any better. Today is their last day in this place. Many of them came and cried to us. They said they loved working here. And we said we loved having them around. Some of us gave them some money, knowing that that's the least we could do.
We are told that a whole new staff will join to replace the current. But its not a consolation. For, we know they will take long to get adjusted. Also we will take a long time to build the same level of trust and warmth. Yeah sure, life goes on, why not. No one is denying that. But today its sad. Many of these service care boys played foot ball after work with students. They helped us out in all sorts of small little ways apart from all the work that they did. Some of them called us home for Diwali, their children's birthdays. Whats worse, they, the most poor and highly hard working bunch of people will be just swept out of the institute. They for never in their life will enjoy job security. May be even the new staff will be as nice. But what hurts is, they too are in the same boat. Any day, and practically any day they could be told to leave.
However, the urge to update the blog comes irrespective of the way I am communicating otherwise. There used to be days when I couldn't communicate very well with most and so the blog gave me a way. But not right now.
Today I wish to write something very specific. This is about the service care staff of my institute. When I joined this institute I was given a hostel room the day I arrived. I was lucky, to say the least. I had bought a lock and key, was going out to buy a broom and a mop. But I was immediately informed by seniors that one doesn't need to do that. There is cleaning staff here. They come and clean rooms everyday. And they are so trustworthy that one doesn't even need to lock the rooms. I had never before stayed in a hostel. Just out of the house, I took long time to come to terms with the fact that I don't have to lock my room when I leave. But now like many others, I hardly ever (read never) lock my room. And trust me, I have never lost even a penny from my room.
I got to know these people more as the years passed. They are really extremely poor people. Many of them unskilled workers, with very big families to take care. I used to believe for very long that they are permanent employees of the institute. But recently, about a year back, I came to know that they are hired on a contract basis. They have been working here for last 15 years and they have been on a contract. Which means, they will not be permanent ever (irrespective of number of years they have worked). About six months back, these people were informed that their contract has ended. Which means, from the day they were informed they would get 5-6 more days to pack their bags, find new jobs and leave. Now, many of them are middle-aged women (in the age range of 40-45. Old enough to not get another job), many are unskilled. The skilled one's (cooks, electricians, gardeners, carpenters) might find a job more easily. But not the unskilled ones. They came to us and sobbed. But we knew that there was nothing we could do to help them. Fortunately, six months back they were allowed to continue for few more months.
Everyone knew this was not any better. Today is their last day in this place. Many of them came and cried to us. They said they loved working here. And we said we loved having them around. Some of us gave them some money, knowing that that's the least we could do.
We are told that a whole new staff will join to replace the current. But its not a consolation. For, we know they will take long to get adjusted. Also we will take a long time to build the same level of trust and warmth. Yeah sure, life goes on, why not. No one is denying that. But today its sad. Many of these service care boys played foot ball after work with students. They helped us out in all sorts of small little ways apart from all the work that they did. Some of them called us home for Diwali, their children's birthdays. Whats worse, they, the most poor and highly hard working bunch of people will be just swept out of the institute. They for never in their life will enjoy job security. May be even the new staff will be as nice. But what hurts is, they too are in the same boat. Any day, and practically any day they could be told to leave.
Comments