Strike banned at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant

10 Jun 2011

The Haryana government has banned the ongoing strike at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant, near Gurgaon even as the week-long strike threatened to engulf Maruti's other facilities as well.

State's minister for labour and employment Shiv Charan Lal Sharma announced the ban, in a statement in Chandigarh. He said the matter has been referred to the labour court.

"The Haryana government has, under the provisions of the Industrial Depute Act, 1947, referred the matter of ongoing strike in Maruti Suzuki Udyog Ltd, Manesar, by the workers to the competent labour court and has also passed the orders prohibiting the continuance of the strike in the industrial unit," the statement said.

Maruti Suzuki management welcomed the state government's move and said it vindicated the company's stand that the strike by the workers was illegal.

A group of workers of various firms in the region, who have been supporting MSI workers, meanwhile, said they would take up various protest actions, including dharna and rallies from Monday and would even consider going on strike at their respective factories in support of the MSL workers.

Reports quoting Maruti Suzuki India chairman RC Bhargava said the company has suffered a production loss of around 5,400 cars till Thursday. The total loss to Maruti due to the ongoing strike has been pegged at around Rs200 crore.

The Manesar plant produces the company's bestseller hatchbacks and sedans like the Swift, Swift Dzire, A-Star and SX4.

Sources at Maruti said the strike demanding recognition of a separate workers' union was supported by around 2,000-odd workers, of whom 11 were sacked on Monday.