Maruti Swift output hits normal levels, deadlock continues

Amid the stand-off between protesting workers and the management at Maruti Suzuki India Limited’s (MSIL’s) Manesar facility in Haryana, industry leaders from the area on Tuesday met to discuss ways to prevent labour trouble from spreading in the automobile hub.

MSIL Chairman R C Bhargava was believed to be at the meeting which was attended by Bony Polymers Managing Director Raj Bhatia, JBM Chairman S K Arya, N K Minda, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Senior Vice President (HR) Harbhajan Singh and Rico Auto Head (HR) Surinder Singh, among others.

“The industry is a little worried about the situation. People involved with the auto industry are concerned as the labour unrest may affect their units as well,” a PTI report said quoting sources.

Production at Munjal Showa’s Manesar plant was affected last week when workers went on a strike demanding regularisation of casual employees. It was called off with the management agreeing to regularise trainee workers who have completed five years at the unit.

In the meantime, MSIL rolled out 620 units of the Swift from its two manufacturing units — Manesar and Gurgaon — in Haryana.

“The production of Swift is back to normal levels. The company remains focused on increasing production to meet customer demand,” it said in a statement.

The company now has around 1,110 workers, comprising regular and contract workers, 90 engineers deputed from the Gurgaon facility and 290 supervisors, at the Manesar unit. MSIL will continue to increase the number of workers at Manesar to ramp up production in the coming days.

Talks brokered by the Haryana government between representatives of the protesting workers and the company had collapsed after office bearers of the proposed Maruti Suzuki Employees Union were arrested on Sunday.

The three union members, including general secretary Shiv Kumar, were released on bail this evening. They had been arrested on the charge of assaulting workers on enroute to work last Thursday.