Strike at Bajaj completes a month, neither side backs down

Pune Industrial Court today dismissed revised application from striking union from Bajaj Auto's Chakan plant even as production continues to be hit

A Pune Industrial Court today dismissed a revised application from Vishwa Kalyan Kamgar Sanghatna (VKKS), the striking union from Bajaj Auto's Chakan plant even as production at the plant continues to remain hit. 

The industrial court has also asked the union to take the matter which seeks to force Bajaj Auto submitting payslips of the striking workers for the month of June, with the Labour Court. VKKS had submitted the application on July 17 seeking to know on what grounds their June salaries had been cut. 

The partial strike, which has impacted production at Bajaj Auto's Chakan plant completed a month yesterday. While both parties remain firm on their stand Bajaj Auto has meanwhile managed to meet 100% of its requirement with the help from its Aurangabad plant. 

The industrial court judge D H Deshmukh said, "Company's lawyer has fairly stated and submitted that eight days' wages were in fact deducted pursuant to notice submitted on July 25, 2013. This is an admitted fact and labour court is bound to take note on the same. VKKS may apply to the labour court, hence revision application stands disposed off."

Aditya Joshi, the lawyer appearing for Bajaj Auto said, "The order proves that the June salaries had been cut off on fair grounds and this will help us to prove this strike illegal in the Labour Court."

The Chakan plant is presently operating at two-thirds its normal production level at 1,900 units per day with the participation of nearly 800 workers. The installed capacity of this plant stands at 4,000 units and employs nearly 1,500 workers. About 1,100 units of the Pulsar is manufactured at the Aurangabad facility.

The union stands firm on its demands including allotment of equity shares of Bajaj Auto at discounted rates, reinstatement of sacked workers and increase of wages. While Bajaj Auto has clarified that it is ready to discuss wages revision it has declined to allot shares to the workers at the specified discount. 

On July 22, Pune Labour Court slammed the union body for using delaying tactics. The court also stated that is seems VKKS is not interested in prosecuting the case and only interested in delaying the same for one or other reasons.