The standoff between the management of the country’s largest car—maker Maruti Suzuki India and workers at its Manesar plant, who went on strike on Saturday, continued today.

“The situation remains the same as yesterday. However, there is no production loss as we have a normal holiday on Sunday,” a company spokesperson said.

Yesterday, about 2,000 workers employed at the plant stopped production from the second shift of the day, resulting in a production loss of about 650 units. The plant rolls out about 1,300 units every day from the Manesar facility.

Striking workers are demanding the recognition of a new union — Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU) — formed by those working at the Manesar plant, besides retaining contract labourers for the two upcoming new units inside the complex.

Taking no disciplinary action against the 11 office bearers of the new union is also another demand.

Meanwhile, worker sources said three rounds of talks have happened with the management so far regarding their demands, but without any outcome.

The workers said the company currently has one union, Maruti Suzuki Kamgar Union, which is mainly dominated by those working at the Gurgaon facility.

“The Manesar plant is completely different and issues are also separate. So we are asking for recognition of our new union. But the management has forcibly taken written undertakings from workers that they are happy with the old union,” a source claimed.

The last time the company witnessed a major strike was when workers stopped production for three months from November 2000, to January, 2001.

Maruti Suzuki India is setting up two new units with an annual installed capacity of 2.5 lakh units each inside its Manesar facility at a total investment of Rs 3,625 crore.

While the existing plant in Manesar can produce 3.5 lakh units annually, its three units in Gurgaon have a combined annual capacity of 8.5 lakh units.

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