Clouds yet to clear over new union at Maruti

As the flip-flop continues over the formation of a new labour union in Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant, now there has surfaced a question mark on whether or not the union formation re-application was submitted to the Haryana Labour Department.

The workers had claimed that on October 4 they had submitted an application to the Labour Department.

“I haven't received any union formation application. We will obviously consider it, but I can comment only after seeing it,” the Haryana Labour Commissioner, Ms Satvanti Ahlawat, told Business Line .

When the workers were approached, one of their key leaders refused to comment saying he would be able to clarify his position in next few days. The company also refused to shed light on the issue.

Following the severance package taken by the leaders of the long-drawn unrest in October, there were reports that a new set of labour leaders had emerged, demanding recognition of Maruti Suzuki Worker's Union. But, even as the Haryana Labour Department said it was yet to receive an application, sources close to the development were sceptical about the real motive behind this demand.

Motive not clear

“I feel the new union leaders are hand-in-glove with the management. I asked them to include a provision in their union application that in the case of dispute, a settlement will only be reached with the management once it has been ratified by a two-third majority. But the union leaders refused to include any such democratic provision,” said Mr Rajendra Pathak, the advocate for the workers who are seeking to form a new union.

The demand for a union was earlier conceptualised by former leaders such as Mr Sonu Kumar Gujjar and Mr Shiv Kumar. They, along with 28 other agitating workers of MSI's Manesar plant (under suspension), were sent off with a severance package of Rs 16 lakh each, when the company finally claimed to close its labour unrest chapter on October 21. The remaining workers have reportedly re-applied for a union with the Haryana Labour Department, ruling out any external affiliation and outside membership.

Bribe attempt

Meanwhile, in the latest development to the internal inquiry conducted by the management of Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd, the Union president Mr Sube Singh Yadav, claimed to have spurned the management's attempt to bribe him and file resignation in return.

“I will not take any bribe and not even the VRS in case my service is terminated. Me and two other colleagues who are under suspension were offered hefty packages by the management, so that we resign. I, however, will never betray the faith of my fellow workers, and in case I'm suspended, the whole plant will shut down. And the matter will be taken to the courts, Mr Yadav told Business Line .

On August 29, the Haryana Labour Department had rejected the union formation application of the workers on the grounds that till August 25, 2011, the workers were members of an already existing union at the company's Gurgaon plant, for which they were paying Rs 10 per month towards membership. As on August 25, the workers have resigned from the Gurgaon plant union (Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union).

COMMENT NOW