One of India’s major organised labour groupings is hailing recent union elections for Maruti-Suzuki workers as a “huge step forward” following significant industrial unrest at the Manesar plant near Delhi.
The Maruti-Suzuki Workers Union (MSWU) says it won 11 out of 12 seats in recent labour body elections at the plant around 30km from the Indian capital that saw huge riots two years ago and which left one manager dead and 100 hospitalised.
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MSWU says it won 11 out of 12 seats against what it refers to as a “management installed puppet panel” at the automaker’s Manesar plant.
The MSWU has received major backing from one of India’s most powerful labour bodies, New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI), representing 15m members and one which has lent its considerable weight to its Manesar colleagues in the past.
“They were roundly defeated and the margins were huge – this is what the workers want,” NTUI general secretary, Gautam Mody, told just-auto from New Delhi.
“It is certainly a huge step forward for the trade union and the working class movement. It is certainly a huge victory.
“Whether this will result in better industrial relations – if they are to be effective and keep the factory moving and keep shareholders happy really requires two sides.
The MSWU elections at Maruti-Suzuki are significant in that the automaker is one of India’s largest manufacturing operations, producing 1.5m vehicles per year encompassing 17 models.
The scale of the company can be gauged by the fact it has a service network spanning 1440 cities and towns, as well as a sales operation in 840 cities.
“The management of Maruti-Suzuki has not said anything and so they are obviously taking stock,” said Mody. “We certainly watched very carefully and were very keen to see the union in the hands of the workers.
“We were of course, confident it would and we are very pleased. We support the union and its struggle in every way.”
Maruti-Suzuki in India earlier today (16 April) declined to comment to just-auto concerning the election.
