MUMBAI: Amidst talks between unions for resolving the wage revision issue at Bajaj Auto’s Chakan unit, the company on Sunday said it has decided to give a hike of Rs 10,000 per month in a phased manner to workers at the plant.
Even as a meeting between the employees union at Chakan and the Shramik Ekta Mahasangh has been convened today to discuss the issue, the Chakan plant employees union has threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike if the company management does not honour its commitment on reinstatement of 20 employees and wage revision, sources said.
Bajaj Auto in a release said the wage review was due on April, 2013 and management made efforts for the review. “But union in March illegally terminated the settlement dated May, 21, 2010 and submitted fresh charter of demands on the service conditions,” it said. “On oral request of many Chakan workmen and looking at the hardship faced by them, Bajaj Auto management has decided to give the wage rise of Rs 10,000 per month in a phased manner to the workmen at Chakan. Accordingly, the management has displayed the notice in the Chakan plant,” Bajaj Auto said.
Though the issue is subjudice, management continued negotiations and held number of negotiation meetings with the Union, the release said, adding that “however, demands being exorbitant and irrational, negotiations could not be progressed”.
Bajaj Auto Chakan plant union sources told PTI today that a meeting between the employees union and the Shramik Ekta Mahasangh has been convened today to discuss the issue.
“After the meeting, we are going to write to the management to either resolve the issue or else face indefinite hunger strike,” the source said.
The union sources said the management had also given a “commitment” of signing a new wage agreement but it remains pending.
The union has, however, not served a deadline on the agitation, they said adding, “action plan will depend on the management’s response on the issue.”
Shramik Ekta Mahasangh, which claims representation of several workers unions, had played a major role in the negotiations between Bajaj management and its employees union during the industrial action at the Chakan plant last year.
The Bajaj Chakan plant union, which represents 950 permanent employees besides over 1,000 contract workers and trainees, had remained on strike for close to two months last August demanding wage revision and reinstatement of some of the employees who were either dismissed or suspended during the agitation.                —PTI

KR Desk