Tuesday, July 19, 2011
By Pranjal Gera
Maruti’s Management and plant workers issue unresolved
Maruti Suzuki India’s Manesar plant workers boycotted the union elections of the company which held today stating that they will form their separate body. This is a clear sign of persisting tension between the management and the workers.
On June 4, Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU) supported the workers for a 13 day long strike who were claiming they will not accept the result of “management stage-managed” poll by Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union (MUKU) and they demanded recognition of their own association. Maruti Suzuki India had to suffer a loss of around 630 crore due to its production loss of 12,600 units during the strike.
MUKU is dominated by workers at the Gurgaon plant and is a recognized union of the company.
Reported by a reliable source, General Secretary (MSEU) stated, none of the members are taking part in the polls arranged by the management. The management has put three candidates from the Manesar plant. MSEU has filed an application to the Haryana government’s labour department for forming its union and is hoping to get its union number as soon as the verification process completes. Whereas, the company spokesperson stated, the Maruti Suzuki management is only supporting the election process and consider elections as an internal matter of the union.
The strike was called off after intervention of Haryana Chief Minister and after the management reemployed 11 sacked employees and changed the no work no pay rule for the strike days. But the main issue of the strike i.e. formation of union by the workers at Manesar plant was left open ended.
The Manesar plant produces around 1,200 units everyday. The factory rolls out Maruti A-Star, Maruti Swift Dzire and Maruti SX4 and Maruti Swift.
According to MSEU, dominated by workers at Maruti Suzuki India’s Gurgaon plant, MUKU cannot represent the interests of the Manesar plant workers.
