Maruti strike spreads to other facilities

Manesar: The labour unrest at Maruti Suzuki’s Manesar plant spread to other units of the Japanese firm, including its diesel engine plant and two-wheeler unit, threatening to further escalate tensions in the area.

    The Manesar plant of the company has been witnessing labour trouble since August 29. To tackle the problem, the company has already made alternative production arrangements by using senior staff and other temporary workers. The fresh trouble will further add to the tension.     Supporting Manesar’s agitating workers, around 3,000 workers at Suzuki Powertrain India (engine plant), Suzuki Motorcycle India and Suzuki Castings, located in the Gurgaon-Manesar industrial belt, also stopped work in the afternoon. They declared an ‘indefinite tools down protest until Maruti's Manesar issue is resolved. Suzuki Powertrain India Employees Union president Sube Singh said the strike was called to show the support for the agitating workers at Maruti’s Manesar plant. “We want that there should be a settlement between the company management and the workers immediately,” Singh said.     What makes things difficult for Suzuki management now is that these workers are camping inside the plants. “All these workers have shown support for us as the Maruti management is holding us out illegally. We fear our rights to express will be curbed once we sign the company’s good conduct bond,” said Shiv Kumar, general secretary of the car maker’s rebel body, Maruti Suzuki Employees Union.

    Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki manufactured another batch of 525 Swift cars and said the strike declared by other units will not affect its work. However, it will evaluate the latest situation over the next few days to see how much effect the tools down strike will have.
    A company spokesperson reiterated that Maruti will not enter into any dialogue with the striking workers. By Wednesday morning, 116 workers resumed duty after signing the company’s bond.