Dharuhera workers support Hero's Gurgaon union protest

Production likely to go slow from tommorow

In what may spell added concerns for the management at the country’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp, the workers at the company’s Dharuhera unit have decided to support the protest for higher wages by their colleagues at Gurgaon. In the meantime, representatives of the employees union at Gurgaon today said that the workers at the unit would not co-operate with engineers and supervisors and slow down production work at the facility.

A union bearer of HeroMotoCorp Workers Union (Gurgaon) said, “We will not co-operate with engineers on the shop-floor from tomorrow. We will just do our individual work. This would slow down production processes. The workers at Dharuhera have also said they would support our agitation.” Over 11,000 permanent and contract workers across both the units are sporting black armbands to press ahead with the demand for better wages at the Gurgaon facility.

“The management was concerned that if they hike our wages significantly more than Rs 6,500 given in wage increase to our colleagues at Dharuhera, there would be protests. But the workers there understand that living conditions are more expensive in Gurgaon. They are supporting us unconditionally”, added the union member at Gurgaon.

The workers at Gurgaon have been demanding an increase of over Rs 15,000 in wages over a three-year period. In the latest round of negotiations on Monday held at the Gurgaon additional labour commissioner’s office on Monday, the company management had offered Rs 7,500 in wage settlement.

"As stated earlier, we will continue to engage with the workers towards achieving the objective of reaching at an amicable solution, without allowing ourselves to be coerced into decisions governed by pressure tactics. As the industry leader, we will take prudent and well-deliberated decision which will be in the best interest of all our workers as well as for the larger good of the industrial environment in the region”, said a spokesperson at Hero MotoCorp.

The workers at Hero MotoCorp have been asking for a similar increment as at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India’s (HMSI) Manesar unit, where a 50% wage hike of Rs 14,770 in monthly salary was announced recently.

Hero MotoCorp employs around 1200 permanent workers and 4000 contract workers at its Gurgaon facility. The average salary of a permanent worker at Gurgaon currently is around Rs 32,000 which goes up to as much as Rs 38,000 for more experienced employees.

The spokesperson added, ““Hero MotoCorp has always given top priority to the overall welfare and well-being of all our workers. In keeping with this spirit, our welfare measures and benefits have been the benchmark in the industry. And we will strive to reach at a reasonable, sustainable and sensible settlement."