[Reader-list] Stand in Solidarity with Striking Workers at MUNJAL KIRIU factory in IMT Manesar and AUTOFIT factory in Dharuhera, Haryana ! Strike at Munjal Kiriu

[Asit Das]

*Stand in Solidarity with Striking Workers*

*at MUNJAL KIRIU factory in IMT Manesar*

*and AUTOFIT factory in Dharuhera, Haryana !*



*Strike at Munjal Kiriu*



A strike of workers at MUNJAL KIRIU (Plot 92, Sector 4) automotive parts
plant in IMT Manesar since 18th December 2013 has again openly questioned
the exploitation under repressive conditions that goes on in the industrial
areas of Gurgaon-Manesar-Dharuhera in Haryana. Responding to continuous
attacks by the management of Munjal Kiriu on their Union rights and their
livelihood through terminations and repressive working conditions, the
workers of both A and B shifts numbering around 300, later joined by C
shift workers worked a sit-in strike or occupation at around 2pm on
18thDecember 2013. They held fort inside the factory till around
9pm, when a large contingent of Haryana police personnel numbering around
1000 which had entered the factory around 4.30pm ousted them to the factory
gate. The workers decided against any altercation with the police and have
since then been camping at the factory gate. They are braving the cold
industrial winter with their unity in struggle and strong slogans of
solidarity of other workers in the area which enthusiastically rent the air.



The strike marks a unity of permanent, trainee and contract workers, and
also a unity of both local and migrant workers. Around 550 workers work at
present in the factory, 238 of whom are permanent, 6 TT (technician
trainee) and around 300 contract workers working in abysmally low wages.
Job security remains a major issue and the workers stress that the frequent
arbitrary terminations while the work pressure is increasing is the primary
bone of contention at present with the management. Horrendous working
conditions particularly of the contract workers are another source of
legitimate anger.



The plant started production as Munjal Kiriu in 2007 with Foundry and
Machine shop, before which in 2003-04 it was a Hero plant with Hero group
having the majority share. At present, Kiriu Corporation Japan has 67%
share while Munjal owns 33%. Workers at Munjal Kiriu produce brake discs,
drum brake, shafts and other automotive parts for Hero, Maruti Suzuki,
Toyota, Nissan, Bosch and others.



*Profit through Terminations and Increasing Work Pressure*

It expanded production in 2012, when the number of lines went up from 5 to
over 10, while the number of workers remained stagnant at first, then
decreased. This means a steep growth of profit over the job-terminations
and deterioration of quality of work, a classic case of jobless growth
model that is in place in the entire country.



This was taken up with the management with the attempt and formation of the
Munjal Kiriu Employees Union (MKEU) in June this year. On 29 February 2013,
workers filed for registration of the Union. Just after this ‘audacity’
from the workers, upping the attack ante, the management terminated the job
of 5 out of 7 of the Union body members whose names appear in the file sent
for Union registration. Workers Rakesh and Mukesh Kumar were thrown out,
then three more workers of the Union body, with the General Secretary
getting his transfer papers handed to him. The workers however got their
Union registered as Munjal Kiriu Employees Union with Registration number
1953 on 12 June 2013, and affiliated themselves to HMS. They presented a
41-point demand notice. Most of the demands including regularization of
contract workers were disregarded during the settlement on 26 November
2013, which imposed a mere Rs. 4500 to 7200 wage increment in a period of 4
years. Of the 5 Union body members, 3 were first taken back then another
reinstated, while 1 Union member still remains suspended.



Meanwhile the attacks on the more insecure contract and TT workers
continued unbridled. *While in February 2013, there were 150 TT workers,
come November only 6-10 TT remained, even as the work pressure on a single
worker increased*. Reacting to this, workers resorted to a wildcat strike
which was a 12hour occupation in October this year, which forced the
management to reinstate 3 recently terminated workers. The final straw was
the termination of 3 TT workers on 18 December, which resulted in the
present strike from that day.



*Some glimpses of Working Conditions*

o   Contract workers usually work anywhere on 8-12-24 hour to even 36 hour
shifts.

o   There is a system of forced overtime in place, with workers routinely
harassed and refused Gate Passes for entry-exit. Even leaves are not
granted when asked, and for contract workers, that would mean losing their
jobs.

o   If after a shift of 12 hour work, anyone wants to go home, the
management at its whim *forces the worker to do overtime illegally at
single rate*, and threatening and effecting cuts in wages of even that
day’s 12hour work if the worker refuses.

o   Wage paid for contract workers who’re doing hard skilled production
work, is only the Haryana minimum wage and less for unskilled labour, a
mere around Rs.5200.

o   There is no ESI, PF, CL, LTA for contract workers, many of whom have
worked for 4-5 years continuously on contract. They are hired through
contractors in a murky system of bribes and cuts.

o   For TT workers, who’re usually diploma holders, the wage is around
Rs.6-6500, while for permanent workers the wage comes to only around
Rs.7000. After 1 year on the job, the TT workers are to be made permanent,
but many workers attest to the fact that to divide and spread suspicion
among workers, only few are favoured for permanency. The management this
year, after throwing away almost all the TT workers, now do not even have
to bother with making anyone permanent.

o   50% of the cost of food and tea are deducted from wages, and 50-670% of
the fare for bus facility is also deducted from wages.

o   Safety issues remain a big concern for workers: the work at the Foundry
shop is to do with high temperature, and safety shoes even when they wear
out, are not replaced before 6 months. Likewise with other safety
equipments which most of the time workers have to pay themselves to get.

o   At the Foundry shop, and at loading/unloading, workers whether contract
or permanent are routinely made to pick and carry 20-25kg heavy loads
including hazardous slag.

o   There no scheduled time for lunch or tea break for workers at the
Foundry shop and for all contract workers, which is served packed on the
line to ‘save time’ on work stoppage.

o   Even for urinal, there is no time given to keep the continuous
production on.

o   Continuous warning letters on refusal to forced work and harassment is
the normal mode before terminations, and workers raise the question of
dignity at work when faced with an abusive and repressive management.



As few days back, one national newspaper reported Japanese Kaizen
technology being used in Maruti Suzuki Manesar which saved 21,500 steps
from worker walks in FY13, we understand that the companies nearby (Maruti
is just 500m away, and Honda MSI 1km away) are learning from each other to
‘save time’. The inhuman squeeze without respite on the brains, muscles and
emotions of workers produce such wonderful profit margins for in this
factory regime.



*Solidarity of Workers in the Area*

On 21st December 2013, 17 months since the Maruti Suzuki Manesar incident
of July 2012, this strike at Munjal Kiriu (Plot 92, Sector 4) plant in IMT
Manesar, brought about an angry assembly of workers at the factory gate
from across the area, with slogans of ‘*management chor hain*’, ‘*Hooda
sarkar murdabad*’ and ‘*Inquilab Zindabad*’.



Even till recently, the heavy continuous deployment of state security
forces ostensibly to maintain industrial peace, would not allow any dharna,
rally, pamphleteering or anything that would even minimally question the
legitimacy of production at gun point inside the IMT Manesar area. We had
as recently as 18th July 2013, witnessed a deployment of a 10-15000 strong
police, commando and paramilitary personnel posted to prevent the Maruti
Suzuki Workers Union (MSWU) call for ‘Manesar Chalo’ to mark one year of
the 18th July 2012 incident demanding the release of arrested workers and
reinstatement of terminated workers this year ostensibly to maintain
‘public peace’. This state of affairs very much continues. But on 21
December, workers from nearby factories numbering over 1500-2000 assembled
in a show of solidarity, even going on to say that it is a common issue of
workers in the region which can only be resolved with solidarity among
workers here primarily. Maruti Suzuki Workers Union, Omax Auto Employees
Union, Perfetti Employees Union, Rico Employees Union Dharuhera, FCC Rico
Employees Union Manesar, Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union Gurgaon, Suzuki
Powertrain India Employees Union, Nerolac Employees Union, Hind Mazdoor
Sabha, AITUC, AIUTUC and many others came in force in the solidarity action
with the workers at the factory gate.



Meanwhile, the management is employing all legal and illegal options to
further attack the workers. A *Good Conduct Bond* has been issued which the
workers are being asked to sign to get back to work. 64 more workers have
been suspended after this solidarity action on 21 December as a notice
pasted on the gate informed the workers. Court Summons have been issued in
the name of 11 workers to shift the strike site 100 meters beyond the gate.
Around a 100 new contract workers have been brought in to resume production
which cannot be done given the skilled nature of work required, and
production continues to remain at a halt at present. Workers demand their
legitimate rights and an end to arbitrary terminations. This is not an
isolated case of the Munjal Kiriu Workers, as the parallel strike of
workers at *AUTOFIT factory*, Dharuhera, brewing unrest in *Baxter
factory*in Manesar against management efforts to curb Union formation
(5 workers
terminated and 45 workers who signed for filing Union registration, all
transferred to Pune plant), and recent strike in *Daikin factory* in
Neemrana point out. This is in the shadow of normal everyday exploitation,
which leads to non-reported incidents like in the *Asian Colour
Coated*factory in Bawal, where a boiler blasted on 19 December 2013,
killing 2
workers and injuring 9-10. No accountability is the rule in such cases.



*Update on the situation at Daikin factory, Neemrana*:

Workers of Daikin tell us that amidst the hostile company management-state
attitude, the strike at Daikin went on for 60 days till day before. They
had a tripartite settlement on 20 December 2013 in the presence of the
Labour Department and the management of the company. However 39 workers
remained suspended and it was given in writing that they’ll be taken back
on duty within 80 days.  The odds against isolated cases of strikes are
many and so agitation is difficult to sustain, and though the strike has
halted but the struggle, workers attest, will continue.


*Strike at AUTOFIT factory, Dharuhera:*

There is a strike going on in the AUTOFIT factory since December 2013. A
unity has been forged among the 95 permanent, 20 TT or technician trainee,
298 casual (who’ve been working for 12-18 years without permanency) and 150
contract workers (who’re thrown out every 6 months) in the strike.

Autofit is an autoparts company which has been in the area for 27 years.
This is the main plant with two more being in Manesar and Haridwar, and a
fourth plant about to be started. Workers here produce wheels and seats,
mainly for Hero, Honda (Honda Core, Honda city), Sonali Tractors, JCB,
Omega and HMSI.


The wage for permanent workers is a mere Rs.6-7000 while contract and
casual workers get a Rs.5200. Only a Works Committee existed then. In June
this year, workers filed for Union, and got their registration on 15 October,
with registration no.1998, Autofit Workers Union, affiliated to HMS. Just
after the filing for Union registration and giving the demand notice, the
Autofit management increased their harassment of workers and taking back
facilities. In the Settlement, while the workers demanded Rs.10000
increment in a period of 3years, the company agreed to less than half the
demand and this too in CTC (gross Rs.2346). Since 7th December, no work, no
pay imposed on Trade Union leaders, and 17 workers which includes the
entire Union body members were suspended, and Good Conduct bond issued for
all workers.


Strike started with both permanent and contract workers. Cases of
misbehaving and stoppage of raw material entry have been thrust on 10
workers, and legal stay of 1000m brought in to shove the workers out from
the factory gate. At present the strike continues with the workers staying
put at the factory gate. There is a halt at production, leading to low
production  at Hero Motorcorp and allied factories. On 23 December 2013, a
joint Trade Union program was organized to mark a show of solidarity with
the Autofit workers. All the striking workers of Munjal Kiriu Manesar also
participated in full strength and solidarity.





*Immediately reinstate all the terminated and suspended workers of Munjal
Kiriu, Autofit and Daikin unconditionally!*

*Immediately implement the just demands of Munjal Kiriu, AUTOFIT and Daikin
workers!*



*End the regime of exploitation-oppression of workers in
Gurgaon-Manesar-Dharuhera-Bawal-Neemrana in the name of development!*









Report from: Workers Solidarity Center, Gurgaon.

Contact: wsc.gurgaon at gmail.com; 09873057637