Conditions of work at the Statesman newspaper office in Kolkata

On 20 March, 2020 It has now been four months since the sub-editors and the reporters of the Statesman newspaper (at least at the main office in Kolkata) have been paid. I earn a meager 12400 rupees a month, after deductions. The building and land which houses the operations seems to be slowly being either sold or rented away. Merlin group, a real estate company has bought the land behind the building and the construction of a two storey parking lot is underway there. I was told by one of the old drivers still with the company that there was a time when the Statesman had its own petrol pump on that land and owned about twenty vehicles which transported their employees. Transportations are outsourced now. A person called Maya Shankar has been hired, who owns the cars and pays drivers to drop employees home at night. During the day, he is free to deploy his vehicles elsewhere.

About a month and a half ago, we had written to the managing director of the company - Ravindra Kumar, stating that we would not be willing to continue working without our pay. Communication was exchanged between him and the executive editor in the house and Mr Kumar met us the next day where he stated that there could be no timeline provided as to when we could expect our dues - but he did say, and I quote - 'as long as I am alive, you will be paid'.

This is not the first time due wages have been held back even in my relatively short stint here. Soon after joining during September 2018 there was a period where wages were due for four months. I was still on probation then. The factory workers who actually print the paper went on strike, as well as a number of employees in the advertisement and systems department. Around twelve of them including senior staff left the company at that time.

The prevalent conditions of neglect are clearly not a recent development. A fire had broken out in the building in June 2016, it's exact cause is yet to be determined. Another, far more serious fire had broken out in the building in March 2006. This one had engulfed the first two floors where I am told that the old printing press was kept. These floors have never been refurbished and continue to lie completely dilapidated. Office operations are hence limited to the third floor now.

The actual conditions of the office cubicles inside are no better. Rats often scurry between exposed wiring and dustbins (and this in a time of a global coronavirus pandemic). Often the servers and internet connection go off. We had a couple of power cuts a few months back but that seemed to have settled down by now. 

Upon being asked as to what the company plans to do with the first two floors the managing director said that they would probably be rented out to retail shops. This in itself does not seem like a bad idea as it would at least utilize prime real estate and generate a revenue for the establishment. In the meantime the compound has been seeing development. The back gate was changed recently and a  cement road replaced the earlier cobbled brick which was badly damaged. Excavation machinery is at work at night drilling into the ground to lay the foundation for the parking lot. And all of this requires workers and manpower - who are apparently being paid, as we continue not to be.