Maruti suspends 16 more workers

India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on Tuesday suspended 16 more workers while terminating the services of 12 other technical trainees from its Manesar factory, as the standoff between the management and workers stretched into its second day. The company, however, began operations in some of the processes at the plant in preparation towards a ramp-up in the coming days.

As many as 49 workers from the plant have either been suspended or fired even as only 30 workers entered the factory premises after signing a bond of good conduct. Maruti has been insisting on workers signing the bond to prevent alleged repeated instances of sabotage and deliberate quality problems initiated by the workers.

'This is not some new problem but a continuation of what happened in June when the workers went on an illegal strike,' said R C Bhargava, chairman, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. 'The long term solution to this can only be if workers realise that harming the interests of the company does no good to them. The intimidatory tactics will have no impact on us.'

The company commenced operations in areas such as weld shop, press and paint shop and would start assembling cars at the plant in next few days. The operations were mostly focused in high automation areas of the plant.

It has initiated half a dozen teams, which spent time streamlining processes and strengthening the quality production systems.

'This was in preparation for a ramp up in the next few days. The company has been scouting for experienced and ITI trained manpower in the Manesar belt. By the end of the day, they had identified 200 people and expressed confidence that production would be ramped up in the next few days as these people are likely to join in the next 2-3 days on a contract basis,' a Maruti spokesperson said.