Even as 5,000 workers of Hero MotoCorp’s Haridwar plant get ready to resume work on Monday after two days of strike, there is still no word from the management on whether the suspended employee will be taken back.

After an assurance from the Assistant Labour Commissioner that there will be no salary cut or change in working conditions, workers decided to go back to work from September 2. These workers, including the nearly 700 permanent employees, went on strike on Friday, protesting the suspension of a permanent worker, Amarnath.

Meanwhile, the company, which claimed that normalcy has returned to the plant, did not comment on the specific allegations made by the workers ( See box )

Sandeep Sharma, who was nominated leader by the workers for resolving this issue, told Business Line . “We have been assured by the Assistant Labour Commissioner that there will be no salary cut for the strike period. There will also not be any change in our working conditions. That is why we have decided to come back to work.” However, if the suspended worker is not taken back, the workers will resort to protest again and this time with due legal process, he said.

The Haridwar plant has no labour union and an application for recognition of workers’ union has also been rejected by the Labour Department.

Talking about the suspended employee, Sandeep Sharma said that Amarnath is expected to be handed over a show-cause notice on Monday and will be asked to respond within 72 hours. Based on the response, the management will decide on the action to be taken. Amarnath is alleged to have misrepresented facts while applying for the job.

Amarnath’s colleagues were aghast that the issue had cropped up now since his job was confirmed almost a year-and-a-half ago. “In fact, the management is targeting people who are working for setting up a union,” one of the workers alleged. Anil Rana, yet another worker, was dismissed on August 12 for a similar reason. Rana was removed from his job after local police allegedly recovered banned substance in his possession.

However, Rana denied this allegation. He told this correspondent: “When the police is yet to file chargesheet in the court and when the law is yet to declare me an accused, how can the company declare me guilty?,” he asked. The company suspended him first, but later fired him after an internal enquiry.

Another worker, on condition of anonymity, said that they are not seeking any wage hike or better facilities. They have not done so for the last six years and want to give their best to the company, “But now, we are very apprehensive. We are really tense,” he said.

Worker will be given a fair hearing, says company

A spokesperson for Hero MotoCorp on Sunday said: “Our Haridwar plant employs workers as per the statute and we provide most congenial work atmosphere with best-in-class facilities and wages in the region.”

“On Friday, the said worker was served a show-cause notice for misrepresenting facts while applying for employment at the plant, which is in gross violation of the model standing orders and policies as laid down by the company. In keeping with our policy of fair-play, he will indeed be given a fair chance to present his case during the independent enquiry, before any further course of action.

“The company stands firm in its adherence to the well-established code of conduct and guidelines applicable to all employees for smooth operations of the plant.”

> shishir.sinha@thehindu.co.in

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