Tata Steel pays families the salary of its employees who have died from COVID-19
The company plans to support families by paying medical expenses and children’s education as well. Other Indian companies have announced similar policies. Today India is the world epicentre of the pandemic with 26 million cases and more than 300,00 dead. Many states have run out of drugs and oxygen supplies.
Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) – India’s giant Tata Steel has announced that it will pay compensation to the families of its employees who have died in recent weeks as a result of COVID-19.
The steel-making company is one of the country’s foremost multinationals, and has been recognised eight times as one of the most ethical companies in the world.
Now the firm plans to pay deceased employees' salaries, housing and medical benefits until what would have been their retirement age of 60. It will also pay for the education costs of the children of its late workers until they graduate.
Over the past weeks, the pandemic has brought India to its knees. According to analysts, India today is the global epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, with 26 million cases and over 300,000 deaths. For many observers however, the figure is much higher.
“Tata Steel stands together with a deep sense of loss at the sad demise of its beloved employees during this dreadful pandemic,” the company said in a statement.
For this reason, it will provide the “best-in-class social security schemes” and stands “with all its people, committed to their security and well-being.”
Tata Steel is part of the Mumbai-based Tata Group, a multinational conglomerate with a long history that runs about a hundred enterprises, including 29 that are publicly listed with a combined market capitalisation of about US$ 160 billion in sectors like steel, cars, healthcare, financial services, defence, fast-food, and telecommunications.
Tata Steel is not alone in providing help to its workers. Other Indian companies have announced special support measures for the families of its employees who have died from COVID-19.
Hospitality group Oyo Rooms announced that it will provide eight months’ pay to the families of its workers who have died from COVID-19 and support their children’s education for five years.
“The battle against COVID is far from over but I hope these initiatives will help ease out the difficulties for the families,” the company's founder Ritesh Agarwal tweeted.
Glass manufacturer Borosil plans to do something similar.
Despite good intentions, such corporate assistance can only partly mitigate the health and economic disaster that has hit India in terms of human and labour costs, and its repercussions on the country’s health system, which has been overwhelmed by the pandemic’s second wave.
Hospitals are now collapsing, forced to turn patients away, with drugs and oxygen no longer available in many parts of the country.
Even crematoria are unable to cope with the volume of bodies coming their way.
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