Maruti's casual worker issue hits factories in Gurgaon-Manesar

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Production in different factories belonging to various companies, including Maruti Suzuki India, at the Gurgaon-Manesar industrial belt has been hit since this afternoon, with workers going on a flash strike inside the plants in support of the casual workers of the carmaker.

Work at Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) Manesar plant, Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd, Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd and Satyam Auto came to a standstill when the workers struck work from the second shift.

"A sit-in protest by workers has started inside the Manesar plant around 4 pm this afternoon," an MSI official said.

The workers are demanding that the casual labourers of the Manesar plant, who have been kept out by the management after signing a deal to end a 33-day long standoff with permanent workers, be taken back.

"It is unfair not to take back the casual workers while the permanent workers have been allowed to resume duties," Suzuki Motorcycle India Employees Union President Anil Kumar said.

Last month, workers at Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd and Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd had gone on two-day strike in support of MSI's Manesar plant workers during the standoff.

"This time we are not going to back off till the Maruti management fully implements what they have promised," Kumar said, adding production at the plant of the two-wheeler maker has come to a halt since late afternoon today.

Similarly, a worker at Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd, which supplies diesel engines to MSI, said production at the company's Manesar plant has stopped since the second shift.

Around 400 workers at Satyam Auto also went on strike, showing solidarity with the casual workers of MSI's Manesar facility.

Workers also claim similar strikes occurred at factories such as Hilux Autoelectric and Endurance during the day. While officials of these companies could not be reached for comments, Hilux Autoelectric Chairman Surinder S Khanuja denied any such development.

When contacted, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Employees Union President Suresh Gaur said: "We have not gone for the strike yet. We are waiting for the authorities to take initiative to resolve the issue.

"If nothing happens by today, we may call a meeting of all the unions in the Gurgaon-Manesar industrial belt tomorrow and join the agitation."