Protestors asked to call off 'stop work' stir in 10 days, failing which entire production will be shifted to other plants
The Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) clarified on Monday that the workers’ strike at its Chakan plant will not affect the production of Pulsar bikes. The management has warned the workers to call off the strike in 10 days failing which the the entire production will be shifted to other plants.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, chief operating officer of BAL Pradeep Shrivastava and vice-president (manufacturing) Kailash Zanzari took a tough stand on the ‘stop work’ agitation launched by members of Vishwa Kalyan Kamgar Sanghatana (VKKS) at the Chakan plant since June 28.
Shrivastava said, “We will not succumb to the threats of workers’ union. We feel that if the workers are provided police security, many of them will resume the duty. A lot of workers have resumed the work on Monday.” He added, “The manufacturing or supply system of Bajaj is very flexible. We have already started the production of Pulsar at our Waluj plant in Aurangabad. We will wait and watch the situation for 10 days and if the workers’ strike at Chakan plant continues, the entire production will be shifted to other plants.”
The BAL officials said that the management has rejected the demands by VKKS about providing option to workers to buy shares at concessional rates outright.
Zanzari said, “The VKKS was initially formed at the Akurdi plant in 2010. Attempts were also made to raise a unit of the union at BAL’s Pantnagar plant but there almost 95% of the diploma holder workers rejected the move. Chakan plant has 900 permanent employees and 90% of them belong to VKKS. There are a total of 1,486 employees at the Chakan plant.”
The BAL officials alleged, “The VKKS union had given BAL a notice of stoppage from June 28 demanding that each of the workers be given a lot of 500 shares at the price of Re1 each. On June 25, the union started flash strike. The buses in first shift were stopped at various locations and employees were prevented from boarding the buses by union members. At some boarding points, union members got inside the bus and pulled out the employees who wanted to join duty. Those who resisted were beaten with hockey sticks and cricket stumps.
The bus drivers were asked to leave the bus without employees. Contract workers were beaten up and a worker was seriously injured. The police registered complaints against 13 union workers at Chakan, Bhosari, Yamunangar and Chinchwad police stations. They were arrested and released on bail.”
BAL trying to suppress workers: VKKS
Soon after the Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) management warned of shifting the production of Pulsar bikes to other plants, the VKKS retaliated and accused the management of suppressing the workers.
Speaking to dna, VKKS president Dilip Pawar said that the strike will continue. “Issuing threats of shifting the production to other plants, whenever the workers raise voice for their rights, is an old tactic of BAL management. They have tried to suppress the workers’ protests using such tactics in the past too.”
Pawar said, “The ‘stop work’ agitation has made enormous impact on the production of Pulsar bikes. The workers at Chakan plant had earned a right to claim shares. Other leading automobile companies have already given shares to their workers. I have been working with the BAL for the past 30 years and yet I get a salary of Rs 22,000 only. How can the workers manage with such poor wages? Contract labourers are paid salaries as low as Rs 5000 and Rs 6000 per month.”
Police security at Chakan plant
A total of 20 policemen have been posted at the Chakan plant for security. The BAL has moved the Industrial Court and a meeting is also scheduled to take place at the labour commissioner’s office on Tuesday.
‘VKKS terminated wage pact’
BAL officials said that the VKKS terminated the wage agreement with the management in March 2013 and submitted a fresh charter of demands. The agreement was signed in 2010 for a period of nine years. As per the pact, a hike of 12%, 8% and 8% was given in the CTC in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively.
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