Every time passing by the BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Limited, we always wonder what could be going on inside. This article reveals the life of employees inside BrahMos and their prayer to seek equal rights.

BrahMos Aerospace Limited is an Indian-Russian joint venture, with DRDO of India and NPOM of Russia as masterminds. The name BrahMos is derived from the two rivers, Brahmaputra and Moskva. BrahMos Aerospace production centre was first started at Hyderabad and in 2007, acquired Kerala Hitech Industries Limited, (KELTEC) which takes care of production of components required for missile projects.

India introduced the Minimum Wages Act in 1948, which defines the minimum salary not just to maintain a level of employment, but for a worker to ensure a basic standard of living including good health, dignity, comfort, education and provide for any contingency. Although the Government approved the code to allow fixed-term employment where employees will be treated at par with regular workers for benefits, the same is not applied across most of the companies, including BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Limited. There are different category of employees, like Sweeping to Security to Canteen to Engineering, hired in contractual basis at BATL via employment agencies.

For an Engineer to be recruited at BATL in a contractual basis, they first need to do an internship for an year for a TA as low as 5000. After an year of training, they need to attend an interview and prove they are worth to be recruited. The salary provided for 250 contractual employees at BATL is much less than any permanent employee and not even at par with minimum industrial standards. They are forced to work more than the permanent employees and are often discouraged by reminding them that they are just contractual employees whereas the permanent employees enjoy their luxury by sitting idle. Although there are some good hearted permanent employees at BATL, the overall environment outshines them. Being a company which takes care of production of missile components, it’s against to form any sort of employee unions.

The contractual employees have no way to raise their voices as fear of termination controls their mind. Termination has happened multiple times due to unjust reasons. There are employees who are working over 20 years hoping to be converted into  permanent employees as this is the only way. The conversion rate from contractual to permanent is very less, if anyone wants to leave they can as BATL will find easy contractual employees via the employment agencies. Whoever is sitting on the top along with these employment agencies are making their own profits and they don’t need to care. Employees are frequently following up with management to implement minimum wages, but they are being put on hold.

For a Country which left its footprint on the Moon and the Mars, it is very shocking to know that the people who actually put time and effort behind the manufacturing of missiles and part of organisations like DRDO and NPOM are not being treated fairly. This story has been going on for years and it’s time to put an end to this.