Bajaj Workers Skip Work, Observe Martyrs Day

Over 6,000 workers at Bajaj Auto's Akurdi unit, near here boycotted work in all three shifts on Tuesday. They were observing their annual Martyr's day to pay homage to workers who died in a police firing on June 17, 1978.

This time the pitch for the remembrance day was higher as the workers are bidding for a hike in wages. The last wage pact signed between the management and the union expired in March 1997.

The Bajaj Auto union leaders are unable to initiate discussions with the management over the new wage pact, following the tussle between the three unions -- Bajaj Auto Employees Union. Bajaj Auto Kamgar Sanghand Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS) -- each claiming to have a majority support in the company.

 

Bajaj Auto management has refused to hold any talks with the unions on the ground that they (workers) must first decide as to which union should represent them. The management has expressed its willingness to hold talks with only one union that has the support of the workers.

With the entry of Shiv Sena-led BKS. the situation has become highly uncertain as the management is said to be reluctant to negotiate with it. It fears a complete examination of its manufacturing facilities since BKS also controls the union at Bajaj Auto's second plant at Waluj.

Meanwhile, BKS which is making a determined bid to take control of the union at Bajaj Auto, here, has obtained a stay order from the Labour Court, restraining the Bajaj Auto management from holding negotiations with any union until the issue of recognition is resolved by the court.

Bajaj Auto Kamgar Sangh is said to be backed by the Congress In another development, three workers of Bajaj Auto went on a hunger strike demanding for an immediate solution to the impasse caused by the union fighting for the control of the trade union.

The agitating workers have suggested that the ballot box should be the best process in which the workers would decide on which union they support and accordingly give recognition to the union with majority support.