Workers at Maruti Suzuki India Limited's Manesar plant in Haryana today pledged to continue their strike in solidarity with Suzuki Powertrain India Limited's (SPIL) union.
In fact, the auto major had reached an agreement with the Manesar workers, but resolving the demands of the SPIL workers came in the way of a solution, according to sources privy to the development. Company officials were still hopeful of resolution, but refused to comment on the course of negotiations.
"After all, the unions of all the three factories together took the decision to go on a strike," point out an agitating union leader at one of the three factories. "So, if the strike has to end, it requires meeting the demands of all the three unions."
Sources said the MSIL management had agreed to reinstate 1,200 contract workers and revoke the suspension of the 65 out of the total 94 workers. Also, the workers had taken back their demand of a union and agreed to follow the usual route of applying to the labour department at Chandigarh to decide on merit their demand for the recognition of their union.
The workers at MSIL began strike on October 7, demanding the re-induction of all the casual workers and revocation of the suspension in a first wave of agitation that lasted 33 days and ended on the first day of this month. The company had refused both demands.
Workers and leaders at the MSIL plant said they recognised the significance of keeping SPIL on their side. Last month, when workers at MSIL had gone on protest over signing the controversial ‘good conduct bond’, employees at SPIL stood in solidarity with the MSIL workers. Today, it was payback time.
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The decision of the SPIL union choked the lifeline of production activities at Maruti Suzuki.
With supply of diesel engines and transmissions choked, MSIL was forced to call off production across its four plants at Gurgaon and Manesar. However, the strike by SPIL, lasted for two days as the union gave in on being promised improved salaries for those at SPIL.
Angered at the company’s refusal to revise wages, the union decided to support MSIL when they again went on strike. Earlier, Sube Singh Yadav, president of the Suzuki Powertrain India Employee Union, had said wage revision at SPIL was one of the reasons why the union had called for a strike.
"We are on strike in support of the Manesar workers. Once they are issues are resolved then we will raise our demands," Yadav said. On being asked about the other demands, Yadav said, "Our workers are paid less than what the company pays the Manesar workers. We want the same pay for all workers."