Labour unrest at Maruti's Manesar plant ends

**New Delhi:**The over a month long standoffbetween the management and workers of Maruti Suzuki India’sManesar plant ended today following talks brokered by theHaryana government.

In an agreement, the workers agreed to sign thecontentious good conduct bond laid down by the management.Under the agreement, the company agreed to conditionallytake back 18 trainees who were suspended.

However, it would not take back the 44 regular employeesagainst whom disciplinary action was taken and that they wouldbe under suspension.“This reinforces the management’s position thatindiscipline is not acceptable. The agreement will create aconducive environment for the company’s growth and theworkers’ prosperity,” a company official who took part in thetalks told PTI.

Asked what action would be taken against the suspendedemployees, the official said “Law will take its course.“The talks were brokered by the Haryana government withofficials, including Deputy Labour Commissioner JP Mann,

Assistant Labour Commissioner Nitin Yadav and Gurgaon DistrictCommissioner P C Meena, involved in hectic negotiations.

Later, Haryana Minister for Labour and Employment ShivCharan Lal Sharma also joined the talks held at Gurgaon.As per the agreement, no work no pay policy would beimplemented for the standoff period.Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union (MUKU) had represented theManesar plant workers during the negotiations as themanagement refused to talk directly to the rebel body, MarutiSuzuki Employees Union (MSEU). Some representatives of MSEU

were however present during the talks.

The MSI management and workers had been locked in astandoff since 29 August, when the management preventedworkers from entering the factory premises unless they signeda “good conduct” bond, after alleged sabotage and deliberatecompromise on the quality of cars being produced.

The bond required the workers to declare they would “notresort to go slow, intermittent stoppage of work, stay-in-strike, work-to-rule, sabotage or otherwise indulge in anyactivity, which would hamper normal production in the factory.The workers had refused to sign the bond.

In support of their colleagues at MSI’s Manesar plant,workers at three factories operated by two of Japan’s SuzukiMotor Corp’s subsidiaries located in the Gurgaon-Manesarindustrial belt - Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd and Suzuki

Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd - went on a two-day strike earlierthis month.

Three workers of Manesar plant were arrested for incitingviolence but were later released on bail during the standoff,which had severely affected production at the plant.The company has, however, brought it to almost normallevels during the month by bringing additional workforce.

PTI