Strike at Maruti Suzuki ends

New Delhi: The 14-day-long strike at Maruti Suzuki India’s Manesar’s plant has been called off this morning following a tripartite agreement between the management, workers and the Haryana Government.

As part of the agreement, the management has agreed to take back 64 permanent workers but another 30 will remain suspended. It has also been agreed that around 1,200 casual workers would also be reinstated, sources close to the talks said.

Setting up of two committees for grievance redressal and labour welfare was also agreed in order to provide a harmonious working environment at the plant.

The agreement came at the end of several rounds of talks, since Wednesday in the presence of senior officials of the Haryana government.

Before reaching the agreement, it is understood that MSI management individually considered the cases of all employees against whom disciplinary action had been taken and evaluated the severity of indiscipline in each case.

Wherever the charges were not serious, the sources said, MSI management decided to take back the employees. The agreement provides that 64 employees will be taken back, they said.

“However, in case of another 30 employees, the charges were found to be of serious nature. The agreement provides that these employees are suspended,” a source said.

As far as the casual workers are concerned, the MSI agreed to take them back to meet requirements of the ongoing expansion at the Manesar plant.

Workers at the plant have been on strike since October 7 demanding reinstatement of about 1,200 casual workers and 44 permanent workers who have been suspended following an agreement signed on October 1 to end a 33-day-long standoff, along with 50 workers who have been dismissed or suspended during the current stir.