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Angry workers beat up senior manager of auto component firm

21 Oct 09 12:52 PM
ET
GURGAON: Auto and auto component production, including that of Hero Honda, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, was hit here today on account of a day long strike by workers to protest the death of an employee during a group clash on Sunday.

Thousands of workers gathered at the gate of Rico Auto, an auto component maker, demanding among other things a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to deceased worker's family and Rs five lakh for about 60 workers injured in Sunday's clashes between two sections of employees of the company.

The striking workers got political support from the Left, with CPI Member of Parliament Gurudas Dasgupta, who is also the General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress, calling for the Prime Minister's intervention.

"I want Prime Minister to intervene and resolve the matter. We will offer unconditional dialogue with the government to resolve the matter," Dasgupta said.

The agitating workers, under the umbrella of Trade Union Council, claimed that their strike was successful.

"Over one lakh workers are participating and over 70 factories have been affected," claimed AITUC Gurgaon District Secretary Suresh Gaud, who is leading the agitation.

As a result of the strike, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India's Manesar plant and that of Rico Auto and Sunbeam at Gurgaon did not function, while Hero Honda's Gurgaon plant was also affected.

"Workers are boycotting work... though the general office staff have reported for duty. The assembly lines are not working," a senior HMSI official said.

Similarly, a Hero Honda Motors spokesperson said production in the morning shift in the company's Gurgaon plant was impacted today due to short supply of components.

"However, there has been no impact at the Dharuhera plant as it was a planned holiday today as part of the Diwali festivity," he added.

Country's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India, which has factories at Gurgaon and Manesar said its production went on normally.

"Our employees are not part of the strike. There is 100 per cent attendance and no downslide in production," an MSI spokesperson said.

Similarly, auto component major Sona Group also said its production was not affected by the strike.

The one-day strike began on a violent note at Rico Auto in the morning, when the company's Deputy General Manager Sanjiv Arya was allegedly manhandled by striking workers at the entrance of the company's facility in Gurgaon.

Dasgupta said the workers' strike at Rico Auto will continue, although others workers from different companies will resume their normal work in their respective firms from tomorrow.