As the worker's strike at Tata Motors' Nano plant in Sanand entered its second day on Wednesday, workers claim... Read More

AHMEDABAD: As the worker's strike at Tata Motors' Nano plant in Sanand entered its second day on Wednesday, workers claimed that the root of the stir resides in the management's aversion to granting workers liberty to form a union. Around 2,200 workers are employed in the Nano plant. Tata Motors has, however, denied the allegations.

As many as 422 workers had gone on strike on Tuesday morning demanding reinstatement of 28 workers suspended by the company. The striking workers have formed a seven-member committee to negotiate with the management.

Around a dozen policemen were deployed on Wednesday inside the plant premises to avoid any untoward incident. The company had on Tuesday termed the strike as `illegal' in its official statement.

Assistant labour commissioner, M S Patel, said, “The strike continued peacefully on Wednesday and is likely to continue further, as the workers refused to hold talks with us.“

Suvera Shailesh Savji, a worker who is a part of the committee negotiating for workers, said, “On December 14 last year, we had given an application to the management to form a workers' union. The application was not accepted, and since then the management has been harassing workers. It was the first time that we applied to form a worker's union. Within days of this application, two workers were suspended by the management on disciplinary grounds.“

In response to the allegation, a Tata Motors spokesperson said, “As per Tata Motors policy, the company recognizes the right of the workmen to form a union. The two employees had been suspended on charges of serious misconduct, and it has nothing to do with union formation.“

Savji, however, said, “The management had promised an inquiry into the suspension of the two workers and that a report would be submitted by January 19, 2016. Also, in presence of the assistant labour commissioner, it was decided that one of the suspended workers will be taken back, while the other worker will face action as per the inquiry report. But that report never came.“

He further said that the seven-member committee of workers held around 6-7 meetings with the management over last one month.“Thphoto and eventually suspended another 26 workers on Monday. The management claims that we damaged around 50 cars on Monday, which is not true. I work in the area where these cars are kept, and there were only some scratches on them,“ said Savji.

“We need to have a union to voice our cause; it is our right. Last year, on Diwali, we were paid just Rs 7,500 as bonus, which was too little. Many of us have been working here for last 6 years,“ Savji added.

“There have been continued agitations for monetary increases, as well as protests against disciplinary actions against those instigating the workmen, resulting in serious threat to company personnel, as well as losses due to tampering,“ said a Tata Motors spokesperson.