Congratulations, Shri Mandaviyaji —
- On a Direction that Echoes Four Decades of Partnership
Dear Shri Mandaviyaji,
I write to congratulate you on your remarks at the CII-EFI National Conference on
Industrial Relations and Labour & Awards 2026, where you spoke of the need for
meaningful dialogue between employers and workers — and crucially, the
imperative to build "a future-ready labour ecosystem on partnership — not
binaries of pro-labour or pro-industry."
These words carry a resonance for me that goes far beyond policy rhetoric. They
echo precisely what I attempted to practice nearly four decades ago, during my
tenure as General Manager (Industrial Relations) at Larsen & Toubro's Powai
factory between 1979 and 1987.
The Convergence of Vision
In the mid-1980s, at a time when industrial relations in India were marked by
adversarialism — strikes, go-slows, mutual mistrust — we undertook what some
called an "Act of Faith." We bet that sustained productivity and worker
motivation could only be achieved through transparent, honest communication and
genuine partnership between management and workers. Not compliance. Not
compromise. Partnership.
On 20 December 1986, we held a seminar at Lonavla with approximately 165
participants — union shop representatives and senior management together. The
agenda was built not on management presentations, but on honest SWOT
disclosure. Workers saw strategic context — our competitive threats, our cost
pressures, our opportunities — for the first time. Management heard worker voice
in structured debate. Both sides co-designed the process itself.
The results you might call predictable by today's standards, but they were
extraordinary then: an average annual productivity gain of 3% over an 8-
year period, achieved not through coercion or automation, but through a durable
atmosphere of trust.
What was true then remains true now: workers are not cost variables to be
optimised; they are stakeholders whose motivation and dignity drive
sustained performance.
Your Direction Today
Your emphasis on equipping workers with new-age skill sets — AI, automation,
robotics — within a framework of partnership rather than adversarialism is
precisely this principle carried forward into the digital age. You have understood
that:
- Meaningful dialogue between employers and workers is not philanthropic; it is
- a prerequisite for economy-wide reskilling at scale.
- India's Labour Codes should strengthen workers' rights and enable ease of
- compliance — not trade one for the other.
- A future-ready ecosystem requires continuous social dialogue, responsible
- technology adoption, and joint ownership of outcomes.
The launch of "Shram Samvad" — an awareness campaign rolling out across 316
districts — suggests institutional commitment to this partnership philosophy. That
commitment, scaled nationally, could transform how India's informal and formal
sectors navigate the technological transition ahead.
A Word of Caution, and a Word of Hope
I say this as someone who spent eight years learning the hard way: partnership
is not a one-time seminar or a campaign launch. It requires sustained,
senior-sponsored commitment. It requires tolerance for uncomfortable truths
shared in both directions. It requires systems that make worker voice
consequential, not ornamental.
But I have seen it work. And I believe your Government's insistence on
"partnership — not binaries" is a direction that will serve India far better than
the adversarial models that still dominate many industries.
Wishing you resolve and persistence as this vision takes root.
With deep respect and solidarity in this cause,
Hemen C. Parekh
P.S. — For those interested in how this philosophy translated into practice at L&T between 1979 and 1987, I have documented the approach through over 170 letters written to employees, and a more recent whitepaper on "Participative Management" that may be worth reading. The evidence of sustained 3% productivity gain over 8 years speaks for itself. The principles remain transferable.
https://hcpnotes.blogspot.com/2000/11/the-sun-rises-in-west-english.html
https://latterstolntemployee.blogspot.com/2013/07/indian-method.html
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