Union versus Union

The war of words between the DMK and CPM is only one side of the battle that the one-time allies are waging right now.

The war of words between the DMK and CPM is only one side of the battle that the one-time allies are waging right now. Below that surface is the issue of trade unionism. Ever since they parted ways when the UPA decided to go ahead with the nuclear deal with the US,the two parties have clashed over a variety of issues,the latest of which is going on at Sriperumbudur,the manufacturing hub of Tamil Nadu. At Foxconn India,the local unit of the multinational component major that supplies to companies such as Apple and Nokia,316 workers affiliated to the Left-backed CITU have been on a strike for over a month,even as their counterparts from the DMK camp are ensuring that the production does not suffer much.

The present issue has its beginning in an accident in July when 36 workers from a plant in Sunguvarchatram were hospitalised after inhaling toxic fumes. The company claimed the pesticide sprayed in the factory was the reason. The sole recognised workers union,Foxconn India Thozhilalar Munnetra Sangam,affiliated to the DMKs Labour Progressive Front LPF,sided with the management and urged the staff to return to work. This was when the workers sought to be represented by another union,a gap that the CITU-led Foxconn India Thozhilalar Sangam filled. On August 22,a red flag was hoisted on the company premises while Foxconn officials were speaking with the LPF for a wage hike.

On September 22,workers from the parallel union went on a one-day strike to press their demand for a hike in wages. The management did not agree,maintaining that the discussions will be held only with the recognised union,in this case,the LPF-led workers body.

Trade union leaders from the Left charged that the LPF was working as a tool of the ruling party,instead of representing the workers,while the latter claimed that the CITU was not functioning constructively to enable an atmosphere conducive for development.

The workers there have been earning Rs 4,000 a month,which we asked the company to revise. But the LPF leadership held talks and agreed for a much lesser hike than we had asked for, said state CITU secretary A Soundararajan,who was arrested for staging the strike.

According to the CITU,the revised salary scale as per the October 7 agreement was applicable only to those with the maximum work experience,the number of whom are rather small.

The issue took another turn when a letter written by the company to the assistant labour commissioner came to light. CITU leaders alleged they were kept in the dark about the letter. Of the 1,850 permanent workers,less than 50 are with the LPF, claimed a leader.

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LPF leaders refuted the claim,maintaining that theirs was the only recognised union. Even after we settled the issue of wages with the management,they are instigating few of the workers with promises of sky-high salaries, said M Shanmugam,LPF general secretary. He charged that the real reason for CITUs hardline was the decline that it has been witnessing in the state.

The strife,insiders say,is not limited to Foxconn. One of the catalysts of Tamil Nadus industrial growth is the relaxation in labour laws by which a unit is not obliged to have a registered trade union to represent the workers. Hyundai Motors,Nokia,Foxconn follow this,and all of them have been facing workers unrest.