Haryana auto belt simmers again

The automobile belt in Haryana is simmering with discontent yet again. Just weeks after an “amicable” solution to the worker unrest within Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) and Rico Auto, sporadic incidents of work disruption have again been reported from Munjal Group company, Omax Auto, over the last two days.

According to vendors who have manufacturing facilities around these companies, “discontent is simmering again within Rico and in Sunbeam Auto — there has been no resolution to the worker-management tussle for the last two months”.

Despite several attempts, Omax Auto managing director Jatinder Mehta could not be reached for comments. Officials at Rico and Sunbeam also remained unavailable.

Additional Labour Commissioner of Haryana, M R Anand, said he was not aware of fresh labour unrest in auto component firms within the state. On Rico, he said, “Please talk to the management and workers and they will tell you that issues have been resolved”.

When DNA spoke to the Sunbeam management some weeks back, officials said that, for many critical engine components for companies such as Maruti Suzuki and Hero Honda, Sunbeam was the sole supplier. “The issue is a three-year wage pact which is valid for another two years. Some workers want to change the Union, which is certified…..the matter is with the Chandigarh Labour Commissioner”.

Sunbeam makes crank cases and covers, cylinder parts, piston, pipe inlets etc - it supplies as many as 45 engine components to Hero Honda alone.

Omax Auto supplies sheet metal tubular and machined components, painting and plating parts and its biggest customer is Hero Honda. It is the largest supplier of ‘sprockets’ (a profiled wheel with teeth used in motorcycles and cars).

In Rico, peace had been bought only recently after prolonged unrest and some violence when the management had agreed to some demands by workers. The workers had also vacated their tough stand on wages. HMSI has also similarly seen resumption of work only last month after a similar climb-down by both the warring sides.

Fresh trouble in Haryana auto belt comes close on the heels of Hyundai Motor India’s workers deferring their strike after the Tamil Nadu Government’s labour officials began negotiations.