The Government on Monday said demanding good conduct bond from workers by Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) management during the recent labour unrest at its Manesar plant was an “arbitrary act” and amounted to “unfair labour practice“.

“Demanding of good conduct bonds from workers as per conditions before allowing them to resume work is an arbitrary act and it also amounts to unfair labour practice as given in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947,” Labour and Employment Minister Mr Mallikarjun Kharge said.

The Minister stated this in a written reply in Lok Sabha to a question by Mr Gurudas Dasgupta of CPI and Mr Gopinath Munde of BJP on whether there has been violation of labour laws by various multinationals, including Maruti by demanding such bonds.

Mr Kharge said, ”...Haryana Government had reported that management of Manesar plant had imposed a condition of submitting good conduct bond by workers for entering the unit as there was reported widespread indiscipline by workers and acts of sabotage and production of defective vehicles.”

The good conduct bond required the workers to declare 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 normal production in the factory“.

Reaction from Maruti Suzuki on the Minister’s reply was not immediately available.

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