Going back to nearly a year and a half, Maruti Suzuki’s Manesar plant had been in the news due to violent and rebellious protest by workers against the management. Back then, many union leaders were arrested on grounds of violent protest that had resulted in death of two people and about 100 officials being injured in the incident. Now nearly two years on, fresh elections were held and new union members along with the new president were elected.
Around 1100 voters excised their duty. About thirty three candidates from within the workforce contested for seats in the executive committee for the new union. As per guidelines, the new union shall consist of 12 members including a general and a president. By the end of polls, Pawan Kumar was declared as the new president for the union. Kumar said, “The management has stood by us in our decision to elect a union at the Manesar plant. The elections passed off peacefully. Voting started around 2pm and vote counting began at six in the evening.”
Kuldeep Janghu, Current president of the Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union (MUKU), said, “This is the first time the union elections are being conducted in Manesar. And from now on, every two years the workers will be able to elect their union leaders.” He further added, “At the Gurgaon plant, union elections will be held every three years.” Members from the Maruti Suzuki Workers' Union (MSWU), a provisional body constituted by the workers who were sacked from the Manesar plant, provided full support to this fresh election. Moreover, it is said that some of their own candidates shall be placed as candidates for separate union elections that is due to be held on April 26 at Maruti's Gurgaon plant.
Source: TOI
