The police have on Thursday arrested 99 workers on charges of murder and rioting, a day after a general manager was killed in a violent confrontation between workers and the management at the Maruti Suzuki car plant at Manesar in Haryana.
Awinash Kumar Dev, General Manager Human Resources, died when portions of the factory were set on fire after a worker was allegedly subjected to caste abuse and suspended by a supervisor. Mr. Dev’s charred body was identified by his brother, the police said.
Director General of Police (Haryana) R.S. Dalal, accompanied by senior police officers, on Thursday visited the plant to take stock of the situation. He promised strict action against the culprits. Senior police officers, including Assistant Commissioner of Police (South) Ravinder Tomar and Inspector Om Prakash, were injured when they tried to whisk away the injured to hospital.
Trouble broke out on Wednesday morning when worker Jiya Lal was suspended for allegedly slapping a supervisor on the shop floor. The workers resorted to violence and set ablaze portions of the plant late in the evening after the management proposed to defer the reinstatement of the suspended worker till Thursday evening.
Maruti Suzuki Workers Union president Ram Meher, in a statement issued on Thursday, said “the supervisor abused and made casteist remarks against a Dalit worker, which was legitimately protested by fellow workers.”
Though the company initially said 40 managers and executives were hurt, it turned out that over 100 were injured. “More than a hundred of our executives and managers were injured in the attack and taken to hospital. Around 50 of them were discharged after first aid and the remaining are still under treatment.” a Maruti Suzuki India Limited spokesperson said.
Keywords: Manesar plant, Maruti Suzuki, workers-supervisors clash
What has happened is unfortunate. But this incident will certainly bring
in government attention and intervention to the inhuman working
conditions of the workers and recognize that workers are human beings;
because this time the management is affected. All through the struggle
for basic rights by workers there was no uproar by the media or by CII,
FICCI, ASSOCHAM etc. because one among them were not hurt, it was always
affecting the workers.
This storey starts first with local workers then their recommonded relatives and then so on.... The companies should not employ local emloyes and the employees recommonded by their employees.The should select the employees on all India Basis on qualification and skill basis. The companies should give continious training , Meditation,Yoga and other useful trainings to their employees.There should not be very big gap in the salary of management and workers. The appraisals should be fair and loyallity should be considered in place of chamchagiri.Workers should get their due love and wages and management should get their due respect and facilities.And there should be death punishment for murdurers...
"The Hindu" news reporting is showing its inclination towards workers ,I don't know why ??
Workers should be supported in their demands regarding the distribution of profit,bad working condition, ill treatments etc , where use of money muscle can be inferred , not in the case of vandalism. This is the sense of impunity in these workers cultivated because of the support they got in previous strike.
This act is wrong, according to Marx also.This is not a class struggle(merely killing , oh sorry!! burning alive a capitalist on caste discrimination , which is not even proved ) .Also , there cannot be any moral justification of this act .
It is an extremism that workers can do no harm , even after they burned a person alive.
near Chennai in a start up company when a equipment worth 1.5 Lakh was stolen the management went over the police to raise a complaint but the securities working there(5 of them) came with local politicians and goons and threatened the management officials themselves with death. the police complaint was was not registered. the politicians said that they will take responsibility for the stolen machine but the machine was gone forever.
Did they really have the right to kill someone? Incidents like this only show the irresponsible behavior of the workers of the organistion.
They should also understand that if the would continue doing such things, higher management will be even more strict on them.
My sympathy is with all the injured employees and specially with Mr Dev's family. No one can compensate this loss.
Its sad whatever has happened and the reasons leading to the incident are even worse. Yes the workers shouldn't have resented to such a violent activity, there is a sense of responsibility and dedication which work requires. But i feel that even the people working at top positions or the ones who have people working under them should have respect for everyone. Living in a country where religion, caste etc are considered to be sensitive issues, one should be very careful with his choice of words, because this is what can happen. Rather than blaming others for what they have done, its better we take the responsibility and handle it a prudent manner to avoid such incidents.
This is really unfortunate. The question really is - why have these problems cropped up so recently? Have there been any changes in the way Maruti-Suzuki operates or is it because their work-force composition has changed?
Without answering these questions one cannot understand what the problem exactly is that would cause such a large number of workers to have grievances so suddenly over the last 2 years.
If police does not take action and charge the workers for willful homicide or murder, then there shall be no Maruti Industries left in Haryana. Any level of casteist remarks, verbal abuse is no excuse to cause a riot and kill people. I think these guys are over paid for the work they do compared with what others make in the region, plus additional benefits. It is time to move this Maruti Indistries out of Haryana and relocate it to more hospitable and law abiding regions of the country. Many states will welcome them with open arms. This event could be called an act of Terrorism coming from with in the industrial premises, and should be booked as such under the provisions of TADA/DADA pieces of legislations. Commission of crime in a singular mode or in any group or plural modes should not be condoned at all by the local police forces. The industrial workforce in India is often indisciplined, loves bullying management and carries an implied right to entitlement to what do not deserve!
it is the labour that produces profits and wealth. it should be respected.
there is blatant violation of labour laws by managements and the government which is supposed to intervene wantonly not doing this. on the other hand workers are denied their fundamental right to form union. then how workers can ventilate their greviances and dissatisfaction? it is the responsibility of the government and the managements to give due respect and honour to the labour put forth by the workers. it is called "dignity of lanour".
Management and workers Have to communicate with each other instead of taking riots against the management. Management should respect their employees by getting suggestion from them and have a palatable solution to any kind of problem. Government has to consider this case from both sides.
Handing out retributive justice by indulging in mob violence seems to have become a pervasive character of Indian society. Discrimination on the basis of caste should be severely condemned, but the response cannot be slapping or burning that leads to injury and death. Have we, the nation of Gandhi, so completely forgotten non-violent means of resistance?
Such news will keep away FDI , let resolve this helping management and
workers , we have to show India is the best country for investment
The violence broke out in the premises of Maruti Suzuki's manesar factory is an exemplary for one of the chronic Non management issues which PSUs have been facing for ages.Neither Government nor PSUs could resolve this issue. With out Non Management's coordination it is a daunting task for any PSU to accomplish all its tasks. Govt has to coordinate with PSU and Non Management body to resolve this sort of crisis.
The atmosphere at Maruti's Manesar Plant is vitiated since long.
Temporary truces won't help bringing a long term solution. Trust
between the management and workers is diminished too much. There is
no point in pushing the pent-up problems underneath the carpet. If it
is true that the labourers resorted to such a grave violence,
snatching the very life of a senior manager of the company, due to
alleged "objectionable remarks" made by a supervisor, it is nothing
but exemplary punishment alone that can instil some sense of
confidence across interested parties in Maruti.
It is time Maruti had seriously started considering sizing down the
level of operations and manufacturing capacity at Manesar and bring up
another large facility elsewhere in India. Business sagacity demands
this.
Employees who involve in violence at work place are harmful to the society as well. Management should not only expect a high output from the workers but they must feel responsible in inputting moral values in each and every employee.
The persons resonsible for this horrific act need to be punished. Such violence will scare away industralists from the area.
These issues happens due to lack of proper implementation of labour laws
in the company. The managers in order to move up in the hierarchy are
antagonist to the workers. The politicians and bureaucrats also have the
same attitude. proper balancing of each other grievances is reqd.The
media also requires to debate by seeing both sides of the coin. It
should be sensitive to plight of the workers.
It is very sad to know the death of official charred to death due to the
scuffle of employees. Whenever there is a verbal dispute is going on
between two employees the surrounding staff should try to curb it at the
initial stages only instead of supporting. Unions in the firms should be
constructive but not destructive. It is better that management should
come up with good strategy to settle this issue as early as possible and
resume the production.
1. Govt at fault for not making sure workers rights are protected
2. We still sit and work with laws laid down in 1940s
3. Grievance readdressal mechanism is non existence (courts takes ages to hear cases and
our govt labour depts takes money)
4. MNC s have brought in a culture of greed and insecurity
5. Experienced people managers are missing from the industry
In the tussel between the trade union and management a precious life is lost. To portray it as a failure of public enterprise against private entrepreneurship is myopia of the ideologues. Bad management in the private enterprise also results in such ugly incidences.
I personally fell that this incident is not first time , Now time has case to change the other location. As now Indian economy is not so good in this time every worker should contribute in building the Nation not destroying . Who ever has done the heinous crime should be punishable and need to send strong message to other workersthis type of incidents will not be tolerated.
such issues affect the company's market share.its very bad that worker killed their senior official. it not only affect company but also auto sector and economy
What a sad loss for the family of the HR manager. Can the agitating
workers compensate for his life? Those responsible for this incident
should deserve the full punishment prescribed by the law. Also the plant
should not function until a cordial atmosphere is restored between the
workers and management, but I doubt whether it would happen in the near
future.
The incident reveals the relation between working class and management.
Indians have no respect to the working people. A white colar job holder beleives he/she is somehow better.
What is the source of this mentality ?, caste system? colonial tradition?
Respect the people and respect the work and sicere to truth.
when the employees are beaten to death there is hardly any SIT that the management of the company sets up. The friction is the dual treatment to mangers and workers.
The bane for India's PSU, Semi-PSU's and large age old private sectore firms where these unions thrive like a virus. De-unionization is the way forward. Folk's who expect the government to carry them forward must be cast aside.
I guess we are a country of too many brains that do not want to work together.
This type of problem's arise due to lack of cordial environment between worker's and HR-management.This tpye of situation is loss making for everyone now the production is shut down so loss for company loss of pay for worker's and loss of taxes for govt.
So all the three parties should come together and provide a solution so that this type of incidents not happens again.The govt. officials should pay a proactive role in that.And I think the management should properly works on the stratiges again.
Goondaism by labour unions has become a menace in the Indian industry. If labour has some rights so has the mgt. Labour has no right to take the law in its own hands and inflict damage on the plants. This lawlessness is encouraged by political class and used by goons to extract money from the mgt. unless the govt makes drastic changes in the labour laws the factories will become fighting grounds and India should forget about FDI. Why only Haryana is specialising in this lawlessness? Time for industries to move out of Haryana.
This is not going to be the last....labours are cornered by Govt and managers(highly paid)...and it is a modern age slavery to work as a worker in an industry
These incidents put questions on india and on its working environment.Some laws need to be there to resolve these issues,otherwise this toll will go on increasing.
These incidents put questions on india and on its working environment.Some laws need to be there to resolve these issues,otherwise this toll will go on increasing.
Violence cannot solve issues, people concerned should sit, talk and find
amicable solution, otherwise families will suffer, after consequence are
more and not good it gives bad impression for outsiders, Industrial
development is important for the country, its sad to see such
destructing incidents, ultimately its the citizen who will suffer.
Its a serious loss to the employees, if the factory closes down/move
to a different location Maruthi might have some dip in profit, but its
not going to affect them in long run
The ultimate losers are the employees and their families, we had seen
similar incidents in Kerala in the past.
In most cases the employees will be controlled by political demigods
who just have their own personnel agenda
Government and Labor commission should proactively intervene and
should educate the employees on the values of hard work and should
protect them from the political demigods. Government should also make
sure that a healthy work environment is being maintained by the
company
Like always, the Haryana government is busy appeasing the Maruti
Suzuki owners. What the media, with the exception of Hindu has glossed
over largely is the plight of the workers working in this plant. Day
in and day out, labor laws were being flouted and all forms of
civilized management was being put to stake.
It is indeed unfortunate what happened in the plant and I condole for
the dead employee. But if a group of people, who have served the
company so well for so long are suppressed so much, what else can you
expect? In any other civilized country, Maruti would have been in the
dock long ago!
There has been trouble every year. Maruti Suzuki management has thought rightly to relocate some time back. The guilty workers must get justice. A few bad elements will cause loss of jobs to thousands. But time has come to put a brake to the lawlessness.
I think foreign investers should learn and respect the Indian languages and work culture to get the best from the Indian skill and unskill professionals. I hate the foreign investors who make the local executives to use unskilled workers as slaves.
Sad to know that this incident has cost the life of a person who seems
unrelated to the dispute directly. Violence should have no place at all
irrespective of the cause. The culprits should be punished for
resorting to physical harm and destruction of property no matter what.
I can firmly say that there would be no outcome of this violence. It will be the same story of big promises by politicians, long lasting investigations and court proceedings. It is nothing more than an additional page to the history of industrial dispute and same as other cases in the past. Our leaders neither have desire to fix such problems nor have the guts to sort out lawlessness from our society. The can never do anything good for our own countrymen. Strong muscle men [ the so called 'Dabang' ] will continue harassing the subjects of our own society. The media would keep crying for few days. The public would forget and nothing more. Then everything would be same as usual. There would then be an another one more fine morning with similar incidence. It will continue.
In this country, the unions are only fight for the right of the employees, they are not worried about the duty. thus, ultimately the worker is the looser.
It is a fact that without the backing of some vested interests in power,
workers will not dare take law into their own hands.The vested interests
go to any length in instigating the workers with total disregard to the
damage they are causing to the plant, workers and their families. the
workers easily fall prey to the game plan of those vested interests. A
glaring example of this is Regency industry which was nurtured for years
and yearned a name for itself was turned into ashes and a senior
executive was burnt alive.When will We learn.
Very sad to read this news. Please Maruti, don't let us down like this with these terrible incidents. You are one of the very rare things we are proud of in India!
I am feeling embarses and sad about these type of incidents happened in the Industris. Same incident happened recently in Regency corporation in Andhra Pradesh Also and now it is lockout. Hence many employees lost their jobs and their families are suffering lot.
Management and Worker union shall talk amicable and find a common solution for the same. Goverment also can interven if required.
It's the right time the Maruti closes the unit. When there is no congenial atmosphere between administration and workeres there is no point in running the business.There are so many region in India where Maruti will be able to run much more smoothly. As always in our country the rich gets the justice but th epoor always let down. I hope that the police enquiry is impartial and the managerial staff is also arrested if they believed to be err on the wrong side.
When we see documentaries like Mega Factories on National Geographic channel, we see the dedication and work culture of the Auto Industry churning out automobiles and are functioning only with few people.
Scuffle and loss of lives & property are the signs of Over Expectations of the employee or the work environment is politically saturated with workers not interested to deliver. History repeats in exhibiting that such attitude by a few mindless workers prove costly both for the managemnet (who shut the base and re-locate) and the employee who has to search for another employer.
It is pity the workers again turned to violence and strike. They need to understand there is something call Resposibilty also attached to their work. A sickening attitude in most of the workers is that they think they are only doing all the work and the supervisory staff and management just enjoys all the benefits. The workers need to be educated that the supervisors and managers are performing more difficult task and they are under much more mental stress
If some supervisor makes "objectionable remarks" then the workers should complain to the right authoritis not restore to violence. I dont understnad why this workers are becoming so violent now a days. The same workers burnt an entire company in AP 10 moths back. What do they get by restoring to such voilence. They should understand these companies are their source of income and be civilized.
Its unfortunate that the state has failed to provide security to an
industrial establishment which provides direct and indirect employment
to millions. The employee and management relations also have been
continuously under stress at Maruti. Best solution is to relocate this
Maruti plant to more peaceful areas.
The workers must respect the organization, because their families are
living due to the company's successful run. Its evident from the past
incidents that Maruti's labor force has chosen Violence as their
weapon to achieve their demands. Unions are formed in order to address
worker's issue and not to create Gang wars and threaten the management
of strike and hampering the production. These agitating labors will
fall in line only when Maruti decides to shut down the Manesar plant
and move somewhere else, where they can find job respecting personnel,
only then these labors will understand the importance of the job and
how the company was helping them to live a happy and heathy life.
In a country like India where labour laws are always interpreted in a
way to make a mockery of labour rights by favoring the management
these incidents are bound to happen. When there is no grievance
mechanism available for labourers to stake their claim in a legitimate
way the only option left is to built a strong union to fight
collectively. It is this collective strength which the management is
trying to undermine and break with the help of a corrupt media and
political set up. The view of a selfish rich, corrupt journalists and
a confused middle class who are constantly in the fear of loosing
their undeserved privileges can be easily manipulated against the
labour class by one sided reporting of incidence like these.
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