COIMBATORE: Employers go to any extent to retain talent. This was proved by a city-based industrial unit which brought back by flight a group of workers who were stranded in Uttar Pradesh, besides recruiting some more. A group of workers employed in Best Heat Treatment Services took a vacation and went to Maharajganj in Gorakhpur to be with their families for Holi. The spike in cases and the resultant restrictions rendered them unable to get back to work.
With orders piling up, the company tried to contact the workers but the effort went futile. Founder of the unit, R Nagarajan, said, “We sent Jawahar, who is from UP, in search of the workers. He is with us for over 30 years and recruits people from his town. He visited Maharajganj and explained the situation to me. I decided to fly them back as it would take weeks for them to return if they took a train.” Also, Jawahar recruited two more persons. The company spent Rs 60,000 on flight tickets.
The workers underwent RT-PCR test before boarding the plane. Nagarajan said this was the first time they took such a step. It was a maiden flight for the workers too. Twenty-seven-year-old S Radheshyam, one of the workers, said he was trembling at the thought of taking to the skies. He told TNIE, “Agriculture is the primary occupation in Maharajganj. We have come to Coimbatore as we get a decent pay (Rs 15,000). All of us were scared as we boarded the plane. We were awestruck by the view once the plane took off.” The group clicked selfies to freeze the moments.
Upon reaching here, these migrant workers who were on cloud nine had shared their experience with colleagues. Deepak (19) said, “We do not have industrial units back home. We came to know that Jawahar was looking to recruit a few persons and we volunteered.” S Jitendra (26) said he transfers a major portion of his salary to his family.
“The company has given us accommodation, I just have to take care of food.” Asked if they would return if there is a complete lockdown, the workers replied in the negative. The company employs around 40 migrant workers in the heat treatment unit in SIDCO and in the foundry in Kondampatty. The workers are provided accommodation where they cook on their own.
Maiden take off
It was a maiden flight for the workers too. 27-year-old S Radheshyam, one of the workers, said he was trembling at the thought of taking to the skies. He told TNIE, “Agriculture is the primary occupation in Maharajganj. All of us were scared as we boarded the plane and were awestruck by the view once it took off.”