Production at Hero MotoCorp's Haridwar unit fails to kick-start on Monday

Hero MotoCorp’s Haridwar plant has still not resumed manufacturing motor cycles for the third consecutive working day as the management declared off on Monday.

Over 5,000 workers were on strike for two days (Friday and Saturday) last week protesting against the suspension of one of their colleagues.

However, after assurance from the Assistant Labour Commissioner, they came back to work on Monday for the early morning shift, scheduled to start at 6.30 a.m. However, security guards announced about the no-work day.

“We were told that due to administrative and security reasons, there will be off today. We will also be asked to work on any other day in lieu of this off,” Sandeep Sharma, workers’ nominated leader to resolve the suspension issue, told Business Line. This was sudden and without any prior information, he alleged.

On Saturday, the company had announced that the protesting workers have gone back, and despatches from the plant are going on. Even on Sunday, it did not indicate about the suspension of work on Monday when this news paper sought a detailed response on the allegations made by the workers. The company also did not say anything on whether the suspended workers would be taken back or not.

Suspension of worker

One of the workers, Amarnath was suspended on charge of misrepresenting the facts for employment.

The company said: “On Friday, the said worker was served a show-cause notice for misrepresenting facts while applying for employment at the plant, which is in gross violation of the model standing orders & policies as laid down by the company. In keeping with our policy of fair-play, he will indeed be given a fair chance to present his case during the independent enquiry, before any further course of action.”

Amarnath’s colleagues were aghast on the fact that why suddenly this issue has cropped up after he was confirmed almost year-and-a-half ago after two-and-half years of service. “In fact the management is targeting people who are working for setting up union,” one of the workers alleged.

Labour union

This plant, unlike the other two, as of now has no labour union and the application for recognition has also been rejected by the Labour Department. This plant manufactures around 9,000 motorcycles a day. The Haridwar plant is one of the biggest plants of Hero MotoCorp and produces Splendor-Plus, Splendor-Pro, Passion-Pro and Hunk.