Temporary workers protest at Maruti's Manesar unit

Management assures a revision

Two days after Maruti Suzuki raised the wages of its 13,000 permanent factory workers by Rs 16,800 a month, a few hundred unhappy temporary staff on Saturday protested outside the company’s Manesar facility, seeking a salary increase. Police intervened to bring the situation. A few workers were arrested and, subsequently, released.

Work at the plant, however, wasn’t affected. It is learnt the company’s management has assured the agitating workers a wage revision for them will be discussed and settled soon.

In July 2012, the Manesar plant had witnessed the worst instance of labour violence in the company’s history, which left a senior human resource executive dead and scores of officers injured.

Kuldeep Janghu, general secretary of the Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union, said the Manesar plant had 800-900 temporary workers. “They are employed for about seven months a year. Of them, 200-300 gathered to protest on Saturday morning. Work is going on at the normal pace,” he said.

These temporary workers draw a gross salary of Rs 15,000 a month, against Rs 38,000-40,000 for a permanent worker (after the latest wage rise). Unlike permanent workers, the wages of temporary workers aren’t increased for a three-year period. For temporary workers, the last wage increase was in early 2014.

Maruti is estimated to employ 2,700 temporary workers at its two manufacturing plants at Manesar and Gurgaon. Contractual workers account for a significant part of the auto and auto component sectors, catering to cyclical and seasonal demand.

Recently, passenger vehicle maker Nisaan cut a few hundred temporary jobs at its Chennai plant, saying they would be employed again when demand rose.

On Thursday evening, the management of Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest carmaker, entered into a wage revision agreement with workers’ unions at its three facilities at Haryana.

According to the agreement, workers will get a rise of Rs 8,430 a month for this financial year, with retrospective effect from April.

For the second and third years, the increase will be of Rs 4,200 each. The combined rise of Rs 16,800 a month, spread over three years, is seven per cent lower than the salary rise of Rs 18,000 given by the company for the three years ended March this year.

DEMAND FOR HIKE

• Maruti has assured the agitating workers a wage revision
   
• Temporary workers draw a gross salary of Rs 15,000 a month, against Rs 38,000-40,000 for a permanent worker (after the latest wage rise).
   
• Maruti employs 2,700 temporary workers at its two plants at Manesar and Gurgaon