Pay equal pay for equal work, demand Hitachi successor unit contract workers' union

By Harsh Thakor*
After 30 hours duration of sustained struggle, an agreement has arrived between the management and the contract workers, sitting on strike in the plant premises of the company Proterial, Manesar, formerly Hitachi Metals. Under the agreement, the company has consented to not to fire the protesting workers. Credit for this goes to the relentless spirit of the workers.
After the B shift workers sat inside the company and the C and A shifts staged a dharna outside, other labour unions and labour organizations of Manesar also arrived at the company gate in support of the provincial workers, including the unions of the Maruti Manesar Car Plant, Maruti Powertrain and Belsonica.
The unions of Maruti Car Plant and Power Train made arrangements for one-time meals for the workers sitting on strike. Along with this, Ram Kumar, leader of the All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), dismissed workers of Maruti, Inquilabi Mazdoor Kendra and Mazdoor Sahyog Kendra also came in support of the Proterial workers.
The unions appealed to the labour department to intervene and promised full cooperation in the future if needed.

Management's 'defiance'

However, the management declared that it would deduct attendance bonus of Rs 2,000, due to which the workers have objected.
The leader of the contract workers, Rajesh Kumawat, was fired on May 3 on the alleged charge of possessing tobacco. Six months back, 25 contract labourers were also fired.
All these issues, including the demand notice, are to be discussed on May 18 between the workers' representatives and the management.
The workers sitting on the dharna claimed that on May 11, the two leading workers of B shift were terminated by the management, in protest against which they were compelled to embark on the dharna.
The management alleged that the workers were conducting a slowdown for a long time and were giving only 80% production of total capacity. On 11th the talks were conducted on giving 100% production.
Even in the agreement, dated 12th May, the management asserted to achieve more than 100% production. The workers countered that the machines had a stipulated time and more than 100% production could not be given in the time. Only by working overtime could such a target be achieved.
The management appeared to have left no stone unturned in attempting to demoralise the workers by tightening very nose on their welfare.

State of contract workers

Contract workers' salary is approximately Rs 10, 000 per month. Apart from this, a bonus of Rs 2,000 is available every month on complete attendance. If a worker takes a day off, then this bonus is deducted.
If a worker works even for half a day, Rs 700 and attendance bonus are deducted from his salary. If a worker does duty without any breake, only then he gets a total salary of around Rs 12,500.
The company was forced to enter into agreement under under Section 12(3) of the Industrial Disputes Act.
The workers have demanded that all contract workers should be made permanent, unconditionally. Equal pay should be given for equal work and legal holidays should be granted.
Presently, the situation is that if a worker takes leave other than weekly leave or falls ill, his salary plus attendance bonus is deducted, making the worker incur debt for that month.
---
*Freelance journalist who covers mass movements in India. Inputs: Shyambir of Inquilabi Mazdoor Kendra and Workers Unity

Comments

Modi’s Israel visit strengthened Pakistan’s hand in US–Iran truce: Ex-Indian diplomat

By Jag Jivan M. K. Bhadrakumar , a career diplomat with three decades of service in postings across the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey, has warned that the current truce in the US–Iran war is “fragile and ridden with contradictions.” Writing in his blog India Punchline , Bhadrakumar argues that while Pakistan has emerged as a surprising broker of dialogue, the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

Labour unrest in Manesar trigger tensions: Recently enacted labour codes blamed

By A Representative A civil rights coalition has expressed concern over recent developments in the industrial hub of Manesar in Haryana, where a series of labour actions and police responses have drawn attention. A statement, released by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), said it stood in solidarity with workers in IMT Manesar and other parts of the country, while also alleging instances of police excess during ongoing unrest.

Search This Blog