As the Maruti Manesar plant workers' strike entered the eighth day, the unrest seemed to be spreading to the Gurgaon-Manesar belt.
“Workers of approximately 60 unions across the belt have served notices to their respective management expressing solidarity with Maruti workers, emphasising their right to organise,” said Mr Suresh Gaur, President, Honda Workers' Union.
This was decided at a meeting of the workers and trade unions of the entire belt at Tau Devi Lal Park to discuss their next plan of action. The unions propose to hold gate-meetings on Monday. Pamphlets will be distributed to all factories whether or not they have unions and a two-hour tool down will be observed on Tuesday. If no decision is taken after the tool down, they will observe a one-day strike.
Meanwhile, the Haryana Government, while continuing to negotiate with the workers, also tightened the screws on the striking workers. On Saturday, it marked copies of the prohibitory orders to the Gurgaon police.
“Continuation of strike after June 10 is illegal under Section 23 of Industrial Dispute Act and the government of Haryana has already marked prohibitory orders of strike to the Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon,” a senior Haryana Labour Department official said.
Under the Industrial Dispute Act, it is legal for a labour court to decide on the legality of a strike and the Government can prohibit strikes and refer the same to labour courts respectively, he told Business Line.
Meanwhile, Mr Gurudas Das Gupta, General Secretary, AITUC, who met the Haryana Chief Minister today, told this correspondent that “Worker morale is high. After my talks with the Chief Minister I am hopeful of a positive outcome”.
By the end of Saturday, Maruti Suzuki is expected to have lost production of 7,600 cars and revenue loss of about Rs 260 crore.