MEMORANDUM
Dated: - 09.08.2012
To
The Union Labor Minister
Shram Shakti Bhawan ,
Rafi Marg, New Delhi-110001
Subject: - Memorandum on behalf of Mass
Organizations in solidarity with workers of the Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.
Manesar
Sir,
We the undersigned organizations have come to
apprise you with rampant violation of labor laws in Maruti Suzuki India Limited
(MSIL) and repression of workers movement. As you are aware that Manesar plant
of Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) witnessed unprecedented violence on 18th
July 2012 when 150 bouncers (hired goons of MSIL management) attacked workers
and vandalized the plant and set fire in a portion of the plant. Aftermath of the incident, 110 workers has
been arrested and more other arrests are apprehended. Haryana government has
set up special Investigation team (SIT) and Shri K.T.S. Tulsi senior advocate
of Supreme Court of India has been appointed as special P.P. There is demand
from the management of MSIL to set up fast track court for trial of cases
against the workers. Haryana government
has conceded the demands raised by the management and ready to bow before MNC
giant.
We
would like to apprise you with the actual story of the 18th July
2012 which has been deliberately not published in the corporate media. The
incident of 18th July 2012 is not an isolated incident but in it’s
background there is management’s ploy to super exploit the workers in inhuman
working conditions on extremely low wages corresponding to their work input. As
per the Annual Industrial Survey report 2009-10, average value added by worker
of auto sector, per worker P.A. has
increased from Rs. 2.9 lacs in
2001 to Rs. 7.9 lacs in 2009-10.
However the wages corresponding to their addition in value has declined
from 27.4% in 2001 to 15.4% in
2009-10. These figures are concrete
evidence of super exploitation of workers of auto sector which is in it one of
the most flourishing industry in India.
In
post ‘new economic policy era’ workers in general has been put to hard ship by
the conscious policy of government in power.
The management side is getting strength from
anti-worker economic policy of government of India. There is undeclared
abandonment of existing labour laws once promulgated under pressure of national
and international labor movement. Policy of hire and fire, contractualisation,
casualisation has become norms.
Haryana Government, who claims to be fast growing economy, is
worst in protection of labor rights guaranteed under constitution of India and
other laws of the land. Labor department and state government is well aware
with the rampant violation of labor laws in these companies like other
industries situated in Gurgaon- Manesar belt, however they do not feel any
necessity to intervene in the matter to check the super exploitation of workers
by the management. Contrary to their administrative responsibility assigned
under the law of the land, they are hobnobbing with the management and resorted
to repress the workers movement.
MSIL workers of Manesar unit were trying to
register their own independent trade union which is their legitimate legal
right; however management of MSIL was adamant to stop the registration of
independent trade union of MSIL workers of Manesar unit. In order to stop it, they had suspended a
large number of workers in 2011. Workers started agitation which finally came
to its end when management’s nefarious design had its way and worker’s
leadership was won over. Some how in March 2012
new trade union was registered , but from the very beginning ,
management of MSIL started conspiracy
to break the unity of the workers on one pretext or the other.
The
incident of 18th July is one stark example of management manipulation
to push the worker in corner. In the afternoon of 18th July, a
supervisor in the shop floor abused and made
casteist comments against a dalit worker of the permanent category, which was
protested by the worker. Instead of taking action against the said supervisor,
the management immediately suspended the worker concerned without any
investigation as was demanded by the workers. When the workers along with Union
representatives went to meet the HR to demand against the supervisor and revoke
the unjust suspension of the worker, the HR officials flatly refused to hear
worker’s concern. The management’s attitude was quite clear: they were in no
mood to resolve the issue amicably. They had another nefarious design in their
mind. More than 150 bouncers (private goons on the roll of management) were
called from outside the plant to attack the workers. They blocked the ingress
and out-gress of the plant with clear motive to attack the unarmed workers.
This is criminal act on part of the management which must be condemned and
immediate cognizance of the issue must be taken by those who are responsible
for bringing out industrial peace. The move of the management caused fear in
the mind of workers and chaos prevailed over efforts of worker’s union to
arrive on an amicable settlement.
In melee one executive from HR department died due to
suffocation caused by smoke generated through fire set by the bouncer (As per
cause of death ascertained in MLC/postmortem report).
As alleged by Maruti Suzuki Workers Union (MSWU), the bouncers
brutally attacked the workers with sharp weapons and arms. It has been further alleged that they were
joined by some of the managerial staff and police who brutally beaten up a
number of workers who have been hospitalized with grievous injuries. Maruti
Suzuki Workers Union (MSWU) has further alleged that bouncers also destroyed
company property and set fire to a portion of the factory.
It would be totally absurd to blame workers for the incident of
18th July 2012. Since a long time, the workers were demanding
recognition and registration of their union which is their legal right
guaranteed under Indian constitution, however management is not ready to give
them even inch of space for their right of association and making a platform to
put their collective demand for improvement of their working conditions. Labor
department, local police as well as civil administration are also on the
management side making the workers condition vulnerable. Workers of Maruti
Suzuki India Pvt. Ltd. have been burdened with 103 point, code of conduct which
is unique in its nature and alien to the industrial atmosphere where worker is
held responsible for violation of code of conduct, if he spent 2 more minutes
during urinating or do not wear good looking clothes. It is pertinent to
mention here that generally there is 12 point code of conduct in other
industrial unit. Management often try to break the unity of the workers and for
that purpose keep conspiring. The incident of 18th July is result of
management’s nefarious design. The
response of government machinery shows total apathy from the state government,
its labor department, civil as well as police administration towards worker’s
cause. Workers are facing tough time due to highhanded approach of Maruti
management, who is in clear connivance with state government and its labor
department and they are entirely responsible for the prevailing industrial
relations in the Manesar unit of Maruti Suzuki India Pvt. Ltd.
Haryana government claims
that it has gone ahead with industrialization of the state; however we have
found that these are hell for the workers. No job security, no wage norm, no
labor law and sheer exploitation of the workers are only norm in these
industrial areas of Haryana.
We undersigned organizations feel that the management of Maruti
Suzuki India Pvt. Ltd. is entirely responsible for18thJuly incident.
We also condemn aftermath police action on innocent workers and response of the
state apparatus.
We demand that:-
(1)
An
independent inquiry by reputed agency of government of India be constituted
immediately and scope of inquiry be enlarged to include the role of management
in background of incident and in the incident of 18th July 2012.
(2)
Innocent
workers who have been falsely implicated in this case be released immediately
and witch hunt of workers be stopped immediately.
(3)
All
F.I.R. registered against the workers be quashed.
(4)
103
point code of conduct imposed upon workers be quashed.
(5)
Bouncers
involved in the incident of 18th July 2012 and managerial staff
responsible for employing bouncers must be arrested immediately.
(6)
F.I.R.
under S.C./S.T. prevention of atrocity act be registered against supervisor who
have made casteist abuse against worker.
(7)
Stop
atrocity on worker’s movement.
(8)
Restore
labor laws and abolish contract labor system in Maruti Suzuki India Pvt. Ltd as
well as in other industries in Haryana.
(9)
Stop
super exploitation of workers and drastic decline in worker’s wage.
(10)
Restore worker’s right.
All India Federation of Trade Unions (New) Inqalabi Mazdoor
Kendra
ICTU Mehnatkash Mazdoor Morcha
Shramik Sangram Committee Workers Unity Trade Union
Mazdoor Patrika Shramik Duniya
Caste Annihilation Movement Krantikari Lok Adhikar Sangathan
Krantikari Naujawan Sabha Krantikari Yuva Sangathan
Pragatisheel Mahila Ekta Kendra People's Democratic Front of India
People's Union for Democratic Rights Radical Notes
Sanhati-Delhi Students for Resistance
Correspondence Noros
Vidyarthi Yuvjan Sabha
ICTU Mehnatkash Mazdoor Morcha
Shramik Sangram Committee Workers Unity Trade Union
Mazdoor Patrika Shramik Duniya
Caste Annihilation Movement Krantikari Lok Adhikar Sangathan
Krantikari Naujawan Sabha Krantikari Yuva Sangathan
Pragatisheel Mahila Ekta Kendra People's Democratic Front of India
People's Union for Democratic Rights Radical Notes
Sanhati-Delhi Students for Resistance
Correspondence Noros
Vidyarthi Yuvjan Sabha
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