Police Arrests Maruti Workers, Negotiations Fail
MSEU President Sonu Gujjar, General Secretary Shiv Kumar and member Ravinder were arrested after the negotiations between the workers' representatives and Maruti Suzuki's management broke.
“Our colleagues were arrested as soon as officials of the Haryana Labour Department, who were mediating the talks, left the building. But we know it cannot happen without their connivance,” said Dharamvir, permanent worker, MSIL, Manesar.
“It is unfortunate that the Additional Commissioner of Police of the area was present in the negotiating room. It is no co-incidence that as soon as the talks failed, workers' representatives were arrested,” said Satbir Singh, Haryana State President, CITU.
The talks failed due to the refusal of the management to accept proposal of the labour department to reinstate the terminated and suspended workers over a period of two to three months. The talks did not reach the point to discuss the “good conduct” bond which is at the center of the current stand off.
Sept 13, 2011: Workers of Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant and Trade Union leaders from IMT took out a rally in Gurgaon yesterday seeking government intervention to end the 16-day old crisis in the plant. Students from Delhi and workers from other factories in IMT also joined the call.
In a meeting held after the rally, the workers decided to hold a Maharally on Friday to intensify their agitation.
The workers marched from Kamala Nehru Park to Mini Secretariat to submit a petition to the State Government reiterating their demands.
“Our mian demand is to reinstate 57 terminated and suspended workers during the course of the present struggle,” said Sunil Dutt, executive committee member, Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU).
The other demands include immediate lifting of the ban on workers' entry in company premises without signing the 'good conduct' bond; promise of no vindictive action; and smooth functioning of MSEU.
Media reports that 100 odd workers have entered the plant after signing the 'good conduct' bond.
“Some supporters of Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union (MUKU), pocket union of the management, have started working here. But this does not mean that the plant has become functional,” responded Dutt.
Show of Solidarity for Maruti's Workers
Sept 5, 2011: The workers of Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant took out a rally in the Industrial Model Town, Manesar today evening. Family members and supporters from nearby villages gathered at Maruti Suzuki's plant at Manesar on Saturday to show solidarity with the protesting workers. On Thursday Trade Union leaders and workers from a number of companies in national Capital Region had gathered at the same place.
The workers of the plant are agitating against the management for imposing a “good conduct” undertaking to be signed before entering the plant to work. After a six-day stand off, the State Government intervened and called a meeting of both the parties. In absence of a representative from the management, no negotiations could take place.
Maruti officials claim that they have started a new facility in Manesar and have resumed production in current plant. The workers, however, allege that these are nothing but rumours.
The authorities have told the reporters that the decision has been taken in light of slow and low quality production in the plant. This, too, has been challenged by the workers. In June, workers of the same plant had staged a 13-day tool-down against efforts of the management to curb formation of an independent union.
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