http://www.firstpost.com/business/maruti-strike-this-union-will-be-independent-the-workers-willnot-give-up-124925.

html

New Delhi: Just when it seemed like the dust had finally settled in Maruti Suzuki Indias plant at Manesar, the centre of what has been proclaimed as the most significant workers struggle in India in the last two decades, comes news that workers plan to register a new union. In early October, workers at Marutis Manesar plant began a daring agitation, which then spread to other plants in Haryanas emerging industrial hub, demanding the reinstatement of contract workers and the setting up of a workers union. On October 19, an agreement was signed between Maruti Suzukis management and the workers in the presence of officials from the Haryana Government, ending the 12-day agitation. This was the third such agitation since trouble first started in June.

Maruti Employees will now set up a new union. AFP

When asked whether the agreement had conceded to the workers longstanding demand for a Union, a company official speaking to Firstpost said, In many ways, the proposal to set up a grievance redressal committee and the labour welfare committee is addressing that issue. The two committees will have representation from both workers and management. The committees have legal backing and are not an ad hoc arrangement. He attributed the labour unrest to a lack of communication between the two parties. The whole problem has been due to the communication gap. The feeling now is that these two committees will address this gap. Responding to whether the company believed that they had seen the end of the demand for a union, he said, It is difficult to predict the future. Two members of the top management have had mass interactions with workers this past week. A lot of things

have gotten cleared out in this. It is initiatives like these that will eventually solve the problem. Agreements and strikes only go up to a point. Things seem to be looking up. Now less than a week after the two young leaders Shiv Kumar and Sonu Gujjar who led the hugely successful workers campaign, resigned from the company, amid rumours of a sell out, plans are afoot by workers at the Manesar plant to register a brand new union named the Maruti Suzuki Workers Union. The one led by the previous agitation was called Maruti Suzuki Employees Union. Speaking to Firstpost on the phone, the president of the yet-to-be registered Union, Ram Mehar Singh, a permanent employee who has worked at Maruti Suzukis Manesar plant for four years now, confirmed that on Friday (November 4) they had applied for registration at Chandigarh for a workers union. Ram Mehar Singh rejected the idea of having committees as an alternative to a union. The workers have decided that they dont want a committee. Our demand has always been for a workers union. And this is our Constitutional right, said Singh, the new workers leader. Ram Mehar Singh added that there were reservations about the previous agitation which he said had caused losses to both to the management and the workers. The 30 workers who resigned have left after settling their accounts. We believe they were sacrificed for a larger cause. However, we remain steadfast in our demand for a workers union. According to sources, the 30 workers who resigned where paid between Rs 12-15 lakh by the management, fuelling rumours of a sell out by the two who were leading the agitation. One of the two leaders, Shiv Kumar, speaking to Firstpost, denied allegations of betraying the workers. More than half of the 30 workers, who eventually resigned, were not ready to take the agitation forward. How can we lead a fight, when we dont have mass support. And so we decided to negotiate. Now allegations are being made that we took the money and left town. But the reality is different. We mobilized a lot of supportall of India was with us. But people from Manesar were beginning to turn against us. There were chances that the revolt against would grow stronger. Although we did not want to compromise, the workers were not ready to cooperate with us. Shiv Kumar said he was not in Manesar at the moment and had taken a decision on his next move. While not all workers are willing to condemn their two former leaders, they are disappointed at what they see as a capitulation. Speaking to Firstpost, Sunil Dutt, one of the 30 workers who resigned said, The resignation of our Shiv Kumar and Sonu Gujjar did cause negative feeling among the

workers who had put their jobs on the line for them. But the workers have decided not to give up and to go ahead with applying for the registration of a new union. We are ready to support them, to train them and help them take it forward. Sunil Dutt added that the workers were no longer in touch with Kumar or Gujjar. Whether they sold out or whether they were compelled to resign, it is not for me say. We are not in touch with them anymore. There is a renewed sense of hope among workers with the formation of a new body to lead them. Ram Mehar Singh, the president of the yet-to-be registered Maruti Suzuki Workers Union, emphasized that they would not allow any third party interference. This union will be independent. And only members of the plant will be members. Other parties will not be involved. If the Maruti Management wants to move in the right direction, they will support this union. What Maruti Suzuki will make of this remains to be seen. Last month, the companys board of directors cleared the way for setting up a manufacturing facility in Gujarat, marking its first such facility outside Haryana (The first plant was set up in Gurgaon). The labour problems of the last couple months has hit the leading car manufacturer hard, causing it an estimated loss of turnover worth Rs 2100 crore (since trouble first started in June). It reported a 59.81 per cent loss in net profit for the quarter ended September 30, largely due to its labour problems at the Manesar plant. The company official from Maruti Suzuki attributed growing significance of trade unions in Manesar to the rapid industrialization of the belt. Five years ago, this belt was barren. In just a couple of years, it has sprouted factories. That is the ground where trade unions operate. It is a constituency that is tempting for them.

http://www.firstpost.com/business/gujarat-plans-afoot-before-manesar-stir-maruti122505.html

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India today clarified that the decision to set up a plant in Gujarat has nothing to do with the labour unrest at the Manesar plant in Haryana. Rebutting reports that the countrys largest carmaker is moving out of Haryana and shifting its base to Gujarat after its decision to purchase land in Gujarat, MSI said: The companys plan to invest in Gujarat started much before the

industrial unrest situation at Manesar.

It has no linkage whatsoever with the recent industrial unrest situation faced by the company, MSI said in a statement. This year, the companys Manesar plant has witnessed three instances of prolonged labour problems resulting in a total production losss of about 83,000 units. Last week the board of directors of the company had approved purchase of land in Gujarat for future capacity requirements, it said. Stressing that the decision to purchase land in Gujarat is towards building additional capacity, MSI further said its investment plans for Haryana stayed on course. These include installation of the 2.5 lakh capacity assembly line in Manesar (Manesar C), a world class R&D Centre and test course in Rohtak. The company has lined up a direct investment of over Rs 3,400 crore towards these facilities, the statement said. In addition to companys investment, its vendors and joint venture partners will continue to appropriately invest in Haryana for the future expansion, it added. Last week MSI chairman RC Bhargava had said that the company is looking for about 1,500 acres of land at Mehsana district of Gujarat, out of which 400 acres would be earmarked for vendors.

The management has been given four weeks time by the board to finalise the deal, although the company is unlikely to start setting up a plant in the immediate future. The logistics for reaching the finished cars to the large domestic markets in West and South India and the close proximity of the Mundra port for future exports, played an important role in the decision (to set up plant in Gujarat), MSI said. PTI