[Reader-list] Protest Against Termination and Repression on Maruti Workers

[asit das]

*Condemn Maruti Suzuki’s police actions!*

*Join in Solidarity with the struggling Workers!*



This morning, 29th August, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, IMT Manesar (Plot 1,
Phase 3A) *terminated 11 workers and suspended 10 more*, on flimsy and
distorted (read: vengeful and punitive) grounds of ‘indiscipline’ and a
supposed go-slow action in production by workers. The company has also
imposed a ‘good conduct bond’ (read: humiliation ‘by law’), only after
signing which, workers can enter the factory premises. Meanwhile around *500
policemen of Haryana and riot-police have occupied the factory since
yesterday evening*, with the excuse of ‘preventing violent actions’. This
preemptive action totally exposes, again, whose police the state forces are.
Accompanying and reinforcing the police, are*‘bouncers’ on the company’s
employ*, and some 8-10 tough-men who have been bought over by the company
from the surrounding village being used to threaten the workers. Apart from
the 21 permanent workers, terminated and suspended, everyday around 2-5
casual and contract workers have been terminated since the agreement on the
16th of June.


The production is at a halt, as workers have refused to bow down to the
company’s dictates, and are standing united in struggle. Other workers in
the industrial area are also expressing solidarity with the workers. Many
Unions, independent and affiliated, have also come in support, and stand
against the company’s draconian actions.


All the 11 terminated workers had been earlier reinstated after a prolonged
battle with the company which included a 13-day strike (June 4th-16th) by
all workers and unprecedented solidarity among workers and other Unions in
the industrial area of Gurgaon-Manesar in Haryana. This strike action was in
the context of the demand of the workers to form their own Union, *the
Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU)*, and against exploitative working
conditions and other legitimate workers’ rights. After this defeat of the
company, many business honchos had pointed out that this reinstatement sets
a bad example to the industry as other workers’ would start demanding their
rights too.


The Haryana government, hand-in-glove with the powerful company’s “way of
life”, rejected the demand of the workers Union on August 14th as a
pre-independence day gift to workers, saying that the management-run Union,
the MUKU is already in place (even though all the workers have resigned from
it, saying it represents the company and not workers). After it becoming
clear that the state is ready to do everything to help the company, said
Shinzo Nakanishi, MD, MSIL, in a threatening tone, “change will come about
gradually through education.” The company has been preparing for an attack
since the agreement after the strike, and has mobilised the government, the
labour department, the judiciary, the police, bouncers, corporate media,
apart from its in-factory harassment techniques, to weed out
‘troublemakers’(read: workers who stand up for their rights).


We appeal to all to lend support and solidarity to the workers of Maruti
Suzuki, who have a difficult struggle ahead and are determined to take it
forward united.





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nayan

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