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30 November, 2012Last week the UAW sent solidarity messages to the Maruti Suzuki Workers’ Union (MSWU) and Hyundai Motors India Employees Union (HMIEU) in support of their struggle for genuine trade union rights.
In support of the Indian auto-workers the UAW President Bob King, also IndustriALL’s Automotive sector president, sent letters of protest to Hyundai Motor India and Maruti Suzuki managements against their concerted anti-union and anti-worker campaign.
Supporting Maruti Suzuki workers’ cause in a correspondence to Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Bob King expressed shock and serious concern with the recent actions by the management and Haryana police to repress the fundamental labour rights of its employees at the Manesar car assembly plant. He called upon the management to reinstate all terminated workers, immediately recognize the democratically-elected Maruti Suzuki Workers’ Union (MSWU) and engage in collective bargaining.
Bob King also appealed to the State of Haryana to cease repressive measures against Maruti Suzuki workers and their families, to withdraw all false charges against workers and to release all of the 149 workers imprisoned following the 18 July 2012 incident at the plant. Further he called for an independent and impartial investigation into the role of all sides in this incident, including management and security personnel.
In a message to R Sridher, General Secretary, HMIEU, Bob King conveyed strong solidarity and support to their struggle for trade union rights. In a message to Bo Shin Seo, Managing Director and CEO, Hyundai Motor India Limited, Bob King expressed serious concerns regarding Hyundai Motor India’s recent anti-worker policies and practices at its Sriperumbudur Plant in Tamil Nadu. Condemning the company’s failure to reinstate the remaining 27 workers fired in 2008, he called upon the management to recognize the HMIEU or hold a fair secret ballot election to decide the majority union.