Maruti issue goes haywire; management, workers accusing each other

Maruti Suzuki India dismissed 10 workers, suspended 10 employees and terminated 5 trainees on Sunday in connection with the violence at the Maruti Manesar plant premises. However this seems to be a clear cut formula by Maruti India to reassert control over its Manesar factory which has been virtually under the control of striking workers since Friday evening. Maruti India also said that it had 'rescued' 100 workers who were allegedly held under duress by striking workers. However, trade union leaders sing another story and allege that three workers at a factory owned by another Suzuki subsidiary had been injured in 'firing' on Sunday morning. 

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Maruti Suzuki India states that on Saturday, the company had similarly rescued 355 workers with the help of the police. Many of these workers had been beaten up by the striking workers. With the rescue of about 450 people, the number of striking workers in the factory premises has come down to around 1,500 while about 170 regular workers have stayed away from the strike from the start. On October 1, 2011 all the workers agreed to the demands of management and signed an agreement with Maruti India. A disguised senior official of Haryana Labour Department said that there is no scope for fresh protest as all issues were worked out and agreed upon by all the concerned parties.

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Maruti India also said that the strike and the violence violated that agreement signed in the presence of Haryana government officials. As part of the October 1 agreement, the workers had harmonized to sign a good conduct bond on conditions, among other things, that they would not harm cars on the assembly line. Maruti India, for its part, had agreed to reinstate 18 trainees. But workers at the Manesar plant again went on strike on Friday afternoon. The total number of workers on strike inside the Manesar plant was then around 2,000, including categories such as regular and contractual workers, apprentices and trainees. Both sides are accusing each other of indulging in violence against one another since Friday.

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