Part Time Jobs

I gave my appointment letter to the Branch Manager, who was engrossed in discussion with a bearded gentleman. He read my letter, looked at my face and handed over the letter to the bearded gentleman. Bearded gentleman read the letter, looked at my face, smiled and said,

- Welcome to the bank. Come along as I shall introduce you to the staff. 

By evening I understood that bearded gentleman was 'comrade branch secretary' of the branch union and which was somewhat equivalent to branch manager during 1970 -80.

 

By next week I understood that com. branch secy was in control of the staff more than the Manager. Day to day activities of staff members were more in the hands of com. branch secretary than the Branch Manager.

 

By next month I understood that com. branch secy managed the show. If you were close to him you had lighter work otherwise you were loaded with extra work.

 

Some people in the staff were more closer to branch secretary and they could disappear from the branch for say 2 to 3 hrs during the working day. So long as there was peace in the branch, the Manager would not mind.

Taking advantage of such a situation the members of such close group had sufficient time to have part time jobs. Secretary offered protective umbrella. So if you could keep com. branch secy in good humour you could go and see a movie in Regal during the day or enjoy a beer or two with him in happy hours and quietly resume duties post-lunch in the branch. 

More enterprising Chamchas of com. branch secy took this opportunity to go for part time jobs. A little income by the side is always welcome! Those were glory days of the employees union. I recall a few examples wherein blessings of com. branch secy are visible:

Com. Gopal Kishen after finishing days job by  2 o'clock discreetly obtained orders for stainless steel utensils for your kitchen. Ordered items were brought next day in a jute bag on his cycle and were delivered under Pipal tree in front of the branch in the evening.  Some spoons supplied by Kishen are still in use with me. Not sure if he was able to achieve financial moksha under this Pipal tree.

Com. Kapoor practised his homoeopathy skills on unsuspecting patients of the staff and customers against payment. Ask him for medicine for simple cold or jukam he would say no no first have bath in cold water and get pneumonia so that he could start proper and long treatment for cure of your body and pocket as well. His treatment if any to com. branch secy was free of course. 

Com. Kumar used to live in Pahar Ganj and was expert
3-wheeler driver. While coming to and going from branch, he would put the meter of his auto down and ferried passengers. Must have made a packet as he usually catered to foreigners staying in Pahar Ganj budget hotels during holidays. 

Com. Inder ran a marriage bureau for which he kept a register under lock & key. This also facilitated large number of freshers joining the bank at that time and looking for a bride or groom. He took full payment only after marriage was announced. For bank employees he offered  handsome discount as well. Social cum income making service it was. He was also known as shadi-wala-Inder!

Com. Singh was a stage artist, writer, producer, director all in one. Very familiar with & having contacts in Mandi House cultural circuit. He did not accept Yours Truly as a hero in his play but no regrets. His shows never got telecast. But he did arrange passes for the bosses. It was learnt later that he was actually a supplier of costumes for stage shows & was making quite a packet.

Com. Varma a steno, ran off from the office at 3o'clock punctually to relieve his father who was running typo/stenography school in Patel Nagar. You could join his typing school on discounted fee & become a steno. After all steno allowance is lucrative and the stenographer remains close to powerful bosses. 

Com. Chatterjee had more sophisticated part time job in his hands. His expertise lay in making Friendship Societies using the word Indo. He managed to create Societies with strange sounding names such as Indo-Albania, Indo-Andorra, Indo-Brunei Friendship  Societies. He had a knack of becoming some or the other office bearer in these & even visited such places. In various functions usually held in Hotel Ashoka, he would invite our worthy Manager, branch secretary and selected members of staff and entertain them. Thus he remained absent from duty frequently. 

Com. Ms. Sudha was a singer having specialization in bhajans and jagrans. The sweet singer would normally be on  leave after Sundays & holidays that is to say after overnight jagrans. Com. branch secy would take care of her interests as she always shared prasad with him. It is rumoured that she earned well. However in case jagaran was held in the house of any member of staff she did not charge anything but only incidental expenses. 

But times seem to have changed these days. Such 'cordial' atmosphere is not prevalent anymore.