Worker profile - Nanjundappa

Publicado: 2 Junio 2008
Google translate: 

M. Nanjundappa



M. Nanjudappa started as a security guard 10 years ago and is currently guarding a government textile undertaking. He has worked for several security agencies throughout this time and his experience has led him to firmly believe that hours should be regulated. “No-one should work more than 12 hours, and everyone should get their weekly (day) off” he said.


Nanjundappa is 49 years old and lives with his wife, mother and two grown sons in Bangalore. His daughter is married. He remembers from his previous work in the textile industry that he could support all his family with just his income, but now his two sons both contribute money each month to the family. “The security job has made me dependent on my children.”

Nanjundappa is very active in the union. He feels that security workers have many problems and only unionizing will solve them. “I felt humiliated, so we all talked a lot about forming our own union. When the garment workers started organising, I felt the security workers should have a union too.”

Several times Nanjundappa has been called in by the management of the factory, his principal employer, and told to stop organising within the factory. He was told if he wanted to organize workers he should quit his job and go do that outside. But this does not stop him, as he feels the only way to create change is to educate workers about the union.