Split in Maruti union

New Delhi, Oct 30: While Maruti’s agitating unions are still far from settling with the company, things took a turn for the better today with more than 250 unionised workers joining duty today. This takes the total number of union workers who have signed a Good Conduct Undertaking and have rejoined work to 1,300. According to the Maruti spokesperson, more unionised workers are expected to join work in the next couple of days.

Among those who rejoined work today are former presidents and office bearers of past labour unions at the country’s beleagured auto leader. These include ex-presidents Sukhbir Singh, S.S. Lather, and Vinod Kumar; ex- vice presidents Naresh Kumar Dagar, Richpal, and R.P. Kaushik; ex general secretaries Alok Das and Darshan Kumar and ex-treasurer Jagvir Singh and Pawan Kumar.

In a signed statement given to the press by Maruti, the group of ex-office bearers said that they were disappointed with the progress of the agitation, and that workers welfare was taking a backseat while gaining political advantage of the crisis had become the main priority — political leaders have been addressing the agitating workers over the past few days.

The ex-office bearers said that employees, women and children were being terrorised and forced to participate in the agitation. They also raised questions as to where the unions were getting funds from to organise rallies and political meetings that could cost upto Rs 2 lakh a day.