We were aware that the management always responds very severely and cruelly to any strike by the workers. They will go to any extent to crush us. We had prepared to keep this strike going for 45 days. We had launched the strike only after telling our parents, wives and children that we are starting on this strike and they should hope to see us only when we come out of the gates of the factory.
Workers of Maruti-Suzuki factory in Manesar, near Gurgaon, tasted victory on June 17, after a 13-days long strike against exploitation and harassment by management. The workers' strike came to an end with an agreement with the management late on June for reinstating 11 suspended workers and recognition of workers' union. Our reporter witnessed the triumph of the 13-days struggle written on the faces of the workers. Their clothes were sparkling and their faces were shining. Here are some excerpts of the interview by MEL of the Employees Union General Secretary Shivpal and his comrades:
MEL: How do you feel after the 13 days of strike?
Gen Secy: Very good. We have been granted permission to form our union, and the 11 suspended workers have been reinstated. We are happy that the united struggle of workers here has forced the management to accede to our demands.
MEL: What do you think of the media's role in this?
Gen Secy: The capitalist media has played a very negative role. They did not take the issue of our just struggle to the people. They are under the influence of the Maruti Suzuki management . They have distorted and misquoted what we told them.
MEL: What was the strategy of your strike?
Gen Secy: We were aware that the management always responds very severely and cruelly to any strike by the workers. They will go to any extent to crush us. We had prepared to keep this strike going for 45 days. We had launched the strike only after telling our parents, wives and children that we are starting on this strike and they should hope to see us only when we come out of the gates of the factory.
MEL: What is the message you would liketo communicate to your comrades, on the occasion of this victory?
Gen Secy: Our workers have been very brave in our struggle against the exploitation and injustice of the Maruti-Suzuki management. We will be united in the future too. We will resist every anti-worker move of the management. We will preserve the unity of all sections of workers – permanent, contract, apprentices, casual – in the future too.
We thank the CGPI, other working class parties and organisations, who reported on our just strike and carried it to through their leaflets and papers to the people and other workers.
We thank the workers of Hero Honda, Hitachi, Omaxe, RICO, Satyam Components and other factories. We promise them that we will stand shoulder to shoulder to them in their struggles.