Haryana to look into Maruti workers' demand for union

Haryana labour department today said that Labour Commissioner would look into the demand of the workers at Maruti Suzuki India's Manesar plant to form a new union under the Trade Union Act.

The 13-day long strike ended late last evening but the agreement reached between the striking workers and management of the company brokered by the state government had not mentioned anything about the main demand of formation of a second union.

"The competent authority which is the Labour Commissioner will look into the process [of the formation of new union]," a senior official of Haryana labour department told PTI when asked what will happen to the workers demand of forming a new union.

Stating that the demand of workers will be dealt under the Trade Union Act, he said, "It was the independent right of anybody to apply to the government authorities to form a union."

About 2,000 workers at Manesar facility had gone on strike demanding the recognition of new union Maruti Suzuki Employees Union, which would be independent of Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union at the Gurgaon facility.

They had applied with the Haryana labour department for the formation of a new union on June 3.

Haryana labour department had said that it might take three months to give a nod to the formation of a new union after following the due procedure and formalities’ under Trade Union Act.

"As per our labour policy, union can be formed in three months after filling proper documentation and pursuing due procedure," a senior official of labour department had said.

As part of the agreement reached to end the stir, the company will reinstate sacked 11 employees and take a lenient approach in enforcing Non-Work-No-Pay rule.