Casual workers protest at Maruti's Manesar plant

Manesar (Haryana), Oct 7 (PTI) Casual workers at Maruti
Suzuki India's Manesar facility are protesting against the
company's decision to bar them from resuming duty after a
33-day-long stand-off between the company management and
permanent employees was settled last week.
A group of casual workers have been sitting in front of
the Manesar plant, asking the company to let them rejoin work.
According to worker sources, the company has not allowed
casual workers -- who had supported permanent workers during
their standoff with the management over signing of a 'good
conduct bond' -- to enter the factory since last week.
"The company has let in only a few casual workers, who
had not supported the agitation of the permanent workers," a
worker said.
When contacted, a company spokesperson said: "We are
gradually ramping up our production at Manesar, including our
new 2.5 lakh capacity Manesar B assembly plant. Most of the
contract workers are likely to be absorbed in the expanded
operations."
The company had started partial operations of the second
unit at Manesar on September 2 as it was trying to normalise
production at its first plant amid the labour problem.
On October 1, the management of Maruti Suzuki India (MSI)
and workers at the Manesar plant reached an agreement, ending
the over one-month-long standoff that arose after the company
prevented workers from entering the plant without signing a
'good conduct bond'.
While the management had alleged sabotage and deliberate
compromise on the quality of cars being produced, the workers
at the plant said the company's motive was "revenge" for a
13-day strike in June demanding the recognition of a new
labour union -- the Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU).
As per the agreement, the company agreed to conditionally
take back 18 trainees that were suspended. However, it refused
to take back 44 regular employees against whom disciplinary
action was taken and who remain under suspension.
The agreement was brokered by the Haryana government,
whose officials, including Deputy Labour Commissioner J P
Mann, Assistant Labour Commissioner Nitin Yadav and Gurgaon
District Commissioner P C Meena, were involved in the hectic
negotiations. Haryana Minister for Labour and Employment Shiv
Charan Lal Sharma had also involved himself with the
negotiations.
Earlier, in June, the company had witnessed a 13-day-long
strike by the workers at the plant, who were demanding the
recognition of the MSEU. The stir had resulted in a production
loss of 12,600 cars, which were valued at about Rs 630 crore.
PTI CORR
MNS