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Over 20 members of the Hyundai Motor India Employees Union were arrested this morning when they tried to stage a demonstration demanding union recognition and reinstatement.
According to union sources, 23 of the dismissed workers were arrested this morning at Sriperumbudur, when they attempted to stage a hunger strike and were let off later in the evening.
‘No disruption'
An official statement from Hyundai Motor India said there has been no production disruption at the factory or untoward incident contrary to reports of an impending labour strife.
This morning, 17 Hyundai employees and 23 dismissed employees tried staging a hunger strike in the vicinity of the plant without police permission. The dismissed employees courted arrest and were released later.
The meagre participation demonstrates Hyundai's stance that the CITU-led union does not have majority support. The management will not take any action against the employees who participated but will counsel them, the statement said.
Union's stance
HMIEU representatives said the union is an independent entity not affiliated to the CITU or political organisations, though led by Mr A. Soundararajan, a CITU leader, as Honorary President.
It is open to proving its majority through a secret-ballot among the 1,500 permanent workers in the Hyundai car factory. The office bearers have been elected through an election in which more than 900 workers had participated.
The union has been fighting for recognition since 2007 during the course of which the company had dismissed some employees on charges of violence.
Where it statrted
Last year following a strike, a six-member committee had been constituted with two members each from the union, the Tamil Nadu Labour Department and the Hyundai Motor's management to review the cases of 32 workers individually.
The company had taken back 14 while the others have initiated legal proceedings.
The two union members on the committee had objected to the company's stand on this issue.
All the dismissed employees had faced similar charges but a section of the workers were being discriminated against.
Over the last two weeks, the employees have been boycotting canteen facilities inside the factory as a sign of protest. The agitation will intensify, they said.
The management has said that on the issue of dismissed workers it has complied with the commitments it had made with the authorities.
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