16 June, 2011Maruti - Suzuki workers launched sit-in strike from June 4 demanding trade union rights. While the management sacked 11 workers including union office bearers, thousands of workers in Gurgaon region stand in solidarity with workers. International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) expresses its solidarity and calls upon the management to accept workers' democratic right to a union.
INDIA: On June 3 workers in Maruti-Suzuki Manesar IMT plant applied for registration of a new union, the Maruti Suzuki Employees' Union (MSEU), at Chandigarh. Knowing workers' initiative for a new union, the management forced and threatened workers to sign on a blank sheet allegedly to state that they will not join the new union. Protesting against management's action, 3,000 workers started a sit-in strike from June 4, 2011 in the Manesar Plant, demanding recognition of newly formed Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU). To put pressure on workers, on June 6 the management dismissed 11 workers including MSEU office bearers for allegedly inciting workers to go on strike.
It is significant to mention that Maruti -- Suzuki has an in-house union, Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union (MUKU) at its Gurgaon Plant for which elections have not been conducted for a long time. Workers at the Manesar - Industrial Model Township (IMT) plant feel that the MUKU is dominated by the management and is not taking up workers' issues such as wages, intensification of work and regularisation of trainees and contract workers. However, the management has been maintaining that it will not allow the Manesar plant to have an independent union or a union affiliated with a political party, and they can become part of the existing MUKU union.
All India Trade union Congress (AITUC) is coordinating with other unions, including Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) and formed a joint action committee. On June 10 more than 2,000 workers from various factories in Gurgaon participated in a solidarity demonstration in front of the Maruti -- Suzuki factory. On the same day the Haryana government passed a prohibitory order to ban the strike and referred the matter to the local labour court. Unfazed by anti-labour measures of the government, unions in Gurgaon planned to conduct gate meetings and a two-hour tool down strike in their factories to express solidarity with Maruti Suzuki workers. Subsequently, Haryana Chief Minster requested unions postpone the strike time and sought more time for negotiations. Accordingly, for the time being, unions in Gurgaon have postponed the tool down action.
However, the management has not changed its stand and in fact retracted from its earlier position that it will accept an Independent union. As the sit-in strike continue into its 13th day, workers' hardship is mounting. For the past 13 days workers did not change their clothes. Food is supplied from outside through the arrangements made by workers. According to the workers even essential items like tooth paste, brush and soaps are also not allowed to be given to workers. Currently Maruti - Suzuki at its Manesar IMT Plant employs around 3,500 workers among which 900 are regular workers, 1,500 are trainees and 1,100 are contract workers and apprentices. The workers' salary package, with a low basic salary and substantial amount of incentives /allowances, is designed by the management to control workers.
Union activists say, for workers in Gurgaon, protection of democratic rights of workers in Maruti -- Suzuki, will go a long way for upholding trade union rights not only in Gurgaon but all over India. Defeat for union will be a great setback for trade union movement.
Commenting on the situation in India, Koichiro Nishihara, president of IMF-JC, said, "MARUTI SUZUKI should comply with ILO Convention 87 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize. IMF-JC and the JAW-Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Unions, together with Federation of SUZUKI Automobile Worker's Unions will demand SUZUKI management in Japan solve this case with earnest action."
Update posted June 17, 2011
The 13 day long sit-in strike by Maruti Suzuki workers at the Manesar plant was successfully concluded in the early hours of June 17. An agreement was reached under section 12(3) of Industrial Dispute Act in the presence of Hon'ble Labour Minister of Haryana, Secretary, Department of Labour and senior officials of Labour department. The office bearers of the proposed new union represented the workers side. Broadly the terms of agreements are as follows:
- The 11 dismissed workers are reinstated pending domestic inquiry,
- No work no pay for the period of strike,
- The application filed by the workers for registration of a new union on June 3, 2011 will be duly processed by the labour department of Haryana, and
- Both the parties agreed to cooperate with each other.