Maruti Suzuki Employees Union, a union formed just last Friday went on strike demanding recognition from India’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) at its Manesar factory. But the company had other plans as it retrenched 11 workers mostly from the unrecognized trade union. MSIL chairman emphasized that the union was not registered and thereby it could not be recognized.

The new union aims to establish among contractual workers which consists around 2,500-strong work force with the support of the All Trade Union Congress (AITUC). DL Sachdev, national secretary, AITUC, voiced that termination of employees is victimization and that they must be reinstated.

Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union, Maruti’s own trade union’s election is due next month and few workers expressed that they did not feel adequately represented in it. There have been discussions to increase the representation in the Manesar unit which they believe is not a complicated issue.

Report by Sumit