Maruti Suzuki Workers Go On Strike

Maruti Suzuki India workers started a labour strike at its Manesar plant on Saturday. Workers abstained from production for some hours due to which there was a production loss of about 500 cars. Maruti Suzuki's Gurgaon plant did not report any production issues. Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava on Sunday said: “There has been no loss today as it"s a holiday. Tomorrow we will have negotiations. The company already has one union."

Maruti Suzuki's 2,500 workers started the strike demanding recognition of a new employees union, the Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU), in Manesar. Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant is the carmaker's first production facility in India. The employees have also demanded that the management should not initiate any action against the office bearers of the new union. Maruti Suzuki produces its cars at Manesar and Gurgaon in Haryana. Workers claim the current employees union, the Maruti Suzuki Kamgar Union is dominated by Gurgaon employees and said the management was forcing employees to sign undertakings that they were happy with the existing employees union.

This Maruti Suzuki strike has to be solved as soon as possible as the carmaker is expanding the production capacity at Manesar to 2.5 lakh units per year and has invested Rs. 3,625 crore. Production is already running above capacity and The last labour strike in Maruti Suzuki was held in 2001 and workers had stopped production for three months. The Current strike at Maruti Suzuki India has had a negative effect on the carmaker as its shares have dropped 1.6 per cent to Rs. 1,213.70. It remains to be seen if the Maruti Suzuki strike cause any further damage to the carmaker.