Labour strike spreads to Suzuki's other factories

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Workers at three factories of two different companies of Suzuki in India have gone on strike on Wednesday afternoon in support of their colleagues at Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) Manesar plant, who are locked in a standoff with the management since August 29.

The two companies where the workers have gone on strike are -- Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd and Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd. The three factories of these companies are located in the Gurgaon-Menes industrial belt.

"The workers of these three companies have gone on strike since this afternoon in support of MSI's Manesar plant workers," President of Suzuki Powertrain India Employees Union President Sube Singh Yadav told PTI.

He said the workers from these three plants are asking for an early settlement to the standoff between MSI management and workers at the Manesar plant that has severely affected production since August 29.

Workers from Suzuki Castings -- a part of Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd -- who are affiliated to Suzuki Powertrain India Employees Union, also said they have joined the strike.

Suzuki Motorcycle India Workers Union President Anil Kumar said workers at the two-wheeler maker's plant stopped working in support of colleagues at MSI.

"We want them (Maruti) to settle the issue as soon as possible, till then we will be on strike. Moreover, we are also demanding regularisation of our colleagues here who have been working here for more than four years," he said.

Comments from officials of Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd and Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd could not be obtained immediately.

Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd employs over than 2,000 workers at its Manesar plant, where it manufactures diesel engines and transmissions for supplies to MSI. Suzuki Castings has nearly 700 workers.

Suzuki Motorcycles India has 1,400 workers at its plant near Manesar and it rolls out about 1,200 motorcycles and scooters a day.

Yesterday MSI sacked five more workers at its Manesar plant on disciplinary grounds even as it recruited 100 new people to replace the existing workers, who have refused to sign the good conduct bond.

MSI management and the workers have been locked in a standoff since August 29 when the management prevented workers from entering factory premises unless they signed the bond, after allegations of sabotage and deliberate compromise on the quality of cars being produced surfaced.

The bond required the workers to declare that they would "not resort to go slow, intermittent stoppage of work, stay- in-strike, work-to-rule, sabotage or otherwise indulge in any activity, which would hamper the normal production in the factory".