Maruti's agitating temporary workers chalk out future strategy

Gurgaon: A day after staging protests for hike in wages, temporary workers at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant held a meeting today to decide on their future course of action.

The temporary workers are demanding wage hikes similar to those given to permanent employees. The Manesar plant, which saw protests from temporary workers on Saturday, was closed today and will open on Monday morning.

According to sources, some 80-100 temporary workers gathered at the Tau Devi Lal park here during the evening to work out the future strategy.

Company sources reiterated that the management was open to listen to the concerns of the temporary workers.

"The second shift was normal on Saturday. We have already assured them to look into their concerns," a source said.

Some 300 temporary workers, who came for the first shift in the morning on Saturday, came out shouting slogans demanding wage hikes similar to those given to permanent employees.

Later two former employees, who were part of the protesting workers of the plant, were arrested by the police. However, they were released on bail later in the evening.

The company's management reached on Thursday a settlement with permanent workers of Gurgaon and Manesar plants, including those of Suzuki Powertrain, over increasing wages by Rs 16,800 per month spread over next three years.

At present, there are about 1,000 temporary workers at the Manesar plant, which had witnessed a violent worker unrest in July 2012 and killing of an HR manager.

Under the wage agreement with permanent workers signed on Thursday night, the average salary hike per person is around Rs 16,800 per month, of which Rs 8,400 will be given in the first year and Rs 4,200 each in the second and third years.

The agreement is valid from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2018. Earlier, in September 2012, the company had signed the wage settlement pact with its Gurgaon workers under which workers were given an average salary hike of Rs 18,000 per month spread over three years.