PRAGOTI

PROTEST IN SOLIDARITY WITH

THE FIGHTING WORKERS OF MARUTI SUZUKI 

AT 

MARUTI SUZUKI INDIA LIMITED HEAD OFFICE

NELSON MANDELA ROAD, VASANT KUNJ

(ASSEMBLE AT JNU PASCHIMABAD GATE) 

TIME: 3.00 P.M.

 

The heroic struggle being waged by the workers of the Maruti Suzuki plant in Manesar and in other Suzuki subsidiaries for the past few months has entered a critical stage. 

The struggle started in June 2011 with a legitimate demand for the recognition of an independent union by the workers of the Manesar plant – the Maruti Suzuki Employees Union. The management’s response was to suspend the elected representatives of the workers, following which there was a fortnight long strike. A tripartite agreement with the state government and the Suzuki management brought the strike to an end, but within days, the state government rejected the application for registration of the independent union. In August end, 62 workers were once again dismissed and suspended and the management prevented the workers from entering the factory premises unless they signed a farcical “good conduct bond”. 

The 31 day standoff between workers and management ended after yet another accord in September end. But an arrogant and vindictive management has gone against the spirit of the agreement and have prevented 1200 contract workers from entering the Manesar factory. This has sparked off the latest round of protest. 

The united workforce – consisting mostly of young workers below the age of 30 – has yet again courageously gone on a sit-in protest, halting production in the plant. They have been joined by workers from other plants in the area– the Suzuki Powertrain and Suzuki Motorcycles Ltd. Presently the management refuses to heed any of the demands for reinstatement of workers, both permanent and contracted, who have not been paid salaries for close to 4 months. The Haryana government has cynically sided with the Suzuki management and threatened a violent crackdown on the workers’ protests by the deployment of a large posse of police. 

Following a High Court verdict, protesting workers have now assembled in front of the plant. They are determined to fight the injustice and secure their constitutional right to organize and unionize independently. We appeal to all democratic minded citizens to stand in solidarity with the Maruti Suzuki workers and join in the protest against the anti-worker Suzuki management. 

 

STUDENTS’ FEDERATION OF INDIA (SFI)

DEMOCRATIC YOUTH FEDERATION OF INDIA (DYFI)

JANWADI MAHILA SAMITI (JMS)