Maruti strike off, union agrees to sign bond

In a clear victory to the management at Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), the workers on protest at the Manesar facility on Saturday accepted the terms put forward by the company bringing an end to 33 days of labour unrest at the factory.

According to a consensus reached early on Saturday morning, the workers agreed to sign the ‘Good Conduct Bond’ as laid down by MSIL that has agreed to reinstate the 18 trainees against whom disciplinary action has been taken. However, the 44 regular workers against whom disciplinary action has been initiated will not be taken back. They will continue to remain suspended.

The workers had earlier insisted that all the 62 workers suspended or dismissed by MSIL since the beginning of the standoff be taken back. The ‘no work, no pay’ rule will apply for the period of the standoff. The protesting workers will resume work on Monday and work for an extra day later to make up for the production loss on Saturday. On Friday, several rounds of talks were held between the company management and the workers that finally culminated in a solution emerging early Saturday morning in the presence of the labour and employment minister of Haryana Shiv Charan Lal Sharma and the Gurgaon District Commissioner P C Meena.

Speaking to Business Standard, the labour minister said the decision was reached after both sides agreed to temper down their stance. “Both the sides are happy with the solution that has emerged. The company was concerned over the financial loss it was facing and we wanted that the protest should end soon,” Sharma said.

In the talks with the management, the agitating workers were represented by Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union (MUKU), the only recognised union at MSIL.