Maruti, Hero declare holiday tomorrow following strike calls

Components makers, like Satyam Auto and Rico Auto are also participating on the one-day strike

Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) and two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp have declared holiday at their plants tomorrow following a strike call by workers unions' in the Gurgaon-Manesar belt in support of the two-day stir called by central trade unions than began today.

"After a meeting with the management, it was agreed that tomorrow will be declared holiday at the two plants (Gurgaon and Manesar) and workers will compensate for it by working on Sunday," Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union (MUKU) General Secretary Kuldeep Jhangu told PTI.

Earlier in the day, he had said that MSI workers will also join the strike and "there will not be any production tomorrow, both at Maruti's Gurgaon and Manesar plants".

A statement from Hero MotoCorp said the company has also declared holiday at its two plants at Gurgaon and Dharuhera.

"Keeping in mind the safety and best interests of our employees, we have decided to keep our plants at Gurgaon and Dharuhera closed on February 21st, Thursday. In order to compensate for this, we shall have an additional work day at a future date," a Hero MotoCorp spokesperson said.

Earlier, Hero MotoCorp Workers Union (HMCWU) President Kanwalpreet Singh said the workers at the company's Gurgoan factory will be on a "one day strike" on February 21.

Incidentally, workers at the plant have been negotiating unsuccessfully with the management for over six months for a three-year wage settlement.

Supporting the all India strike called by 11 trade unions, Suzuki Motorcycle India Employee Union President Anil Kumar said, "As many as 27 workers unions of different factories in the Gurgaon, Manesar, Dharuhera and up to Bawal have agreed to go on strike for a day. So, there will be no production at our plant tomorrow."

Kumar claimed unions of other components makers, including Satyam Auto and Rico Auto are also participating on the one-day strike.

The central trade unions have put forward a charter of 10 demands such as urgent steps to control price rise, strict enforcement of labour laws in all places of work, social security net for workers in the unorganised sector, end to disinvestment in PSUs and raising minimum wage to Rs 10,000 a month.