[Reader-list] Maruti Suzuki Workers' Protest Continues By Maruti Suzuki Workers Union 22 December, 2013

[Asit Das]

Maruti Suzuki Workers' Protest Continues

*By Maruti Suzuki Workers Union*

22 December, 2013
*Countercurrents.org*

 To renew our demand for the release of the 148 arrested workers who are in
jail for more than 17 months without bail, to press the reinstatement of
illegally terminated 2300 workers, we sat on a day-long mass hunger strike
in front of the Gurgaon DC Office and District Court. The dharna organized
by Maruti Suzuki Workers Union, Manesar saw hundreds of terminated workers
and families of arrested workers sit on hunger strike from 12noon of 20th
December till the afternoon of 21st December.

On 17th December 2013, after a year in jail, Com. Iman Khan has been
released on bail, given the complete lack of evidence except a statement
written under police torture. He was only arrested as he was a leading
member of the Provisional Working Committee, MSWU which is leading the
Maruti workers struggle. But 148 workers still continue to languish in jail
without bail. We demand the immediate release of all arrested workers. We
will continue to wage our struggle against exploitation by the company and
state repression which justifies it.

We were joined these two days in our dharna and mass hunger-strike by
workers and trade unions from across Gurgaon-Manesar which attest to the
fact that our struggle is a living struggle which connects to similar
regime of exploitation and repression that is going on in the entire
industrial belt. We were enthused by the participation of workers and union
representatives from Suzuki Motorcycle Employees Union, Suzuki Powertrain
India Employees Union, Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union, RICO Employees Union
Dharuhera, FCC Rico Employees Union, Honda Employees Union, Haryana
Roadways Workers Union, Subros Employees Union, Munjal Kiriu Employees
Union, Omax Auto Employees Union Dharuhera, Mitsubishi Electronic
Automative Employees Union, Baxter Employees Union, Workers Unions from
Hema Engineering, Endurance, Lumax, P.N. Writer, YKK, Nerolac, Perfetti,
Senior India, Munjal Showa, Roop Rubber, Indo Autotech, Talbros, Hi-lex,
Satyam Auto, Autofit Dharuhera, RDC, Minda Auto, Javarian Auto Workers
Union, BM Workers Union, AG Industries Karamchari Union Manesar. WE were
also joined by central trade unions, workers and mass organizations like
AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, Inqlabi Mazdoor Kendra and Krantikari Naujawan
Sabha.

We submitted a memorandum of demands to the Gurgaon District
administration, and have decided to go on a Padayatra from January 15th to
31st from Kaithal to Delhi and take our struggle across the state of
Haryana through Gurgaon to Delhi to renew our struggle for justice and
appeal to all to join us.

Provisional Working Committee
Maruti Suzuki Workers Union