In our last Article “Are Women Professional safe against sexual harassment at reputed organizations” we had highlighted certain issues pertaining to “exploitation” of women professionals at Work. Needy professional women have to go through traumatic tenure of their employment if they are victimized /sexually and mentally harassed at their work place either by peers or their superiors. Most often due to the Higher Social stature most of the culprits (Often are from the Top Management/Chair Persons) escape from getting punished for their mis doings, as the matter is Hushed up pretty fast by bringing pressure on the victim and the investigating authorities. Since the matters rarely get highlighted and seldom come to light due to the absence of proper justice being given to the victim, General Public and Society at large are simply unaware that such instances do happen at Organizations of great Credibility and repute and carried out by people of Great Social Status and prominence. Below are the excerpts of a letter that was sent by the victim to the PMO, since she observed that all doors leading to justice were being closed on he.(Copied as received)
LETTER TO PMO
To,
The PMO,
NEW DELHI.
Sir,
My name is PSV,I am 57. I joined The PRESS as a trainee Sub-Editor in April 1990 after clearing written test and interview.
Managing Editor while his son was then the General Manager. Presently, he is the Managing Director of PRESS Soon after I joined, the Editor VP asked me to leave my work and accompany him outside for a ‘coffee,’ a ruse for engaging in filthy sex talk with women staffers. This was despite the fact that I was four months pregnant ! My husband was in the same shift. My husband and I quietly continued our work with bowed heads. The Editor, to this day, continues to harass me over this move. I apprised RP of the ongoings. No action was visible on the ground. Violation of basic rules: The Editor has superannuated 15 years ago. Yet, BP has adamantly refused to find a suitable person for the job and VP continues to be the Editor at 75 years of age! Needless to say, he ill-treats the staff with impunity and openly philanders with women staffers.
ILL treatment of women staffers in night shifts
Given his weakness for women, the Editor has brazenly gone ahead and employed a substantial number of women staffers.They are coerced into
doing night shifts. The Editor offers to drop them home in his car when they get late at work and
embraces and gropes them in his car. The women staffers have been forced to put up with this
behaviour as the Management has adamantly refused heed to complaints about him.
Misbehaviour by Editor in full public view
Even in the morning shift, the Editor has been known to approach women staffers’ desks and grope and touch them inappropriately. When asked why they
put up with the shoddy behaviour, they say that this is the price one pays for working in PRESS.
Absence of HR Department and Women’s Cell
Though PRESS employs a large number of women staffers, no effort has ever been made to put in place a mechanism to redress their grievances.
There is neither a H.R. Department nor a Women’s Cell as stipulated by rules. In case of work place related grievances, I have been left with no alternative but to approach the Managing Director ,He has repeatedly, adamantly refused to accept that there is trouble brewing in the set up.
Non-implementation of recommendations of Wage Board
Though Majithia Wage Board notified in 2011 had suggested a large number of welcome changes in the wage structure of newspaper employees, the same have been brazenly flouted by RP. The employees were paid arrears and given a raise five years ago. Though I am one of the senior most employees at the Maindesk, the pay hike was nominal. The Management has not effected a single pay hike after this in total contravention of Wage Board recommendations. The press workers union has filed a case
against the management over non-payment of wage hikes.
Persistent denial of leave Though the organization offers 15 casual leaves, 10 medical leaves and 30 days of Earned leave, availing of the same has been a permanent problem for me. The Establishment Section is always evasive about the leave available for me and has persistently denied the same.
I had availed of leave from January 24 to 28. My salary for the period was cut. I was told that I simply
did not have the necessary leave. When I approached RP, he berated me makingan issue of a ‘2-day’ pay cut. He insisted that the organization did not indulge in ‘such activities.’
Denial of salary during cancer treatment
In September 2021, I was diagnosed as suffering from Grade III breast cancer. I had availed of leave to undergo Breast Reconstruction Surgery. The Surgery was performed on October 22, 2021. After recovery, National Institute of Cancer, Jamtha, prescribed
8 rounds of Chemotherapy to be undertaken at an interval of 15 days each. This was to be followed by 20 cycles of Radiation. As the treatment would entail several months of leave, I approachedRP for the same. He cleared leave only after making me sign an application that I will not be entitled to my salary during the period of treatment. My last Radiation cycle was performed on May 4, 2022. With the consent of doctors, I joined office on May 15, 2022, as it became very difficult to manage household and medical expenses in absence of salary.
Acute harassment after my husband’s demise
My husband SDV working then as a Deputy Editor with PRESS, passed away in a road mishap on July 15, 2002. SD, aformer employee, was recruited in his position. Along with the Editor, SD made my life a hell. VP continually derided me in office. He issued a slew of meaningless memos to intimidate me. Though the Management allowed me to operate in morning shifts in view of the fact that my children very young and there was nobody to look after them at home,SD tried to coerce me come in night shifts. When I refused, he would not let me go home till 9 pm ! Even though I would submit my pages well within the deadline, he would force me to complete new comers’ pages till 9 pm. Along with the mindless corrections on my pages, SD would
return my pages with the remark ‘Avoid widows’! My VP would laugh derisively at the daily
spectacle. Left with no choice, I approached RP and apprised him of my daily
travails. I pleaded with him to atleast change my section as the daily torment was too much for me.
He listened to me expressionlessly and sure enough, did nothing. This daily torture went on for 14 years till SD retired in 2017!
Acute workplace harassment by the Editor
Comppletely exasperated by the daily harassment, I submitted a written complaint to the Labour Court . I also filed a complaint against the Editor at
NEAREST Police station. However, the police shamelessly colluded with the Management and scuttled the case. I was berated by RP for engaging in activities that would undermine the ‘prestige’ of the organization. I was forced to withdraw my complaint at the Labour Court. No visible action has been taken against the offending Editor who continues to ill treat staff.
VP is particularly fond of addressing staff meetings lasting over two hours during which.he not only heaps the filthiest possible abuse on staffers, he abuses our parents too ! The incensed staff apprised RP of the ongoings. What transpired between the two is not known.
The menace of such senseless meetings continues unchecked !
Difficulty in obtaining in legal counsel in townTormented by the persistent workplace harassment,I have tried to approach several Labour lawyers in Nagpur. They have simply backed out of helping me as RP is known to brazenly stifle any dissent by staffers in his numerous organisations. When they sought legal help to avail of better payscales,RP has subverted the course of justice using his financial resources and his father’s political clout.
Sir, what I have elaborated upon is just the tip of the iceberg. What goes on here is much worse. I sincerely hope justice is done to the long suffering staff of PRESS. On my part, I promise to render fullest possible co-operation if a probe is undertaken by the authorities concerned.
It’s heart breaking to observe that even though most of the affected persons choose to keep silent and shy away to come forward and support the victim, who at least had the guts to blow the Whistle. Such daring Whistle blowers always find themselves alone and stranded whenever they come forward to bring out such heinous issues to the light. Ironically, even fellow women professionals, peers, superiors, fail to come forward and support such a person, instead they practice Ostrich politics and turn a blind eye to such pressing issues. Doesn’t it Prove that We Just preach…. So much to women empowerment, Women Safety, equal rights and Blah Blah…. Ostrich Politics and Hypocrisy and nothing else.
Shockingly even though this latest incident was reported by some e paper (later on the news was either pulled off, reposted covering the names of the culprit and the victim and even deleted) Very few News Media even bothered to bring this to light. Furthermore, Social Activists, Women Activists and Organizations claiming to be working for the cause of women and other such social bodies are no where to be found helping this distressed woman to get justice. Doesn’t this point out Hypocrisy?
Shockingly Women at Influential positions and services too are keeping Mum? Are they unaware or are they simply turning a blind eye to something that should equally be a matter of their personal interest and concern, what if even they sometimes become exposed to such an instance themselves? Maybe everybody is self-consumed in just letting the matters be since it doesn’t concern them?
