18 May, 2011Wheels India workers at Ranjangaon, Pune in Maharastra are on strike demanding increased wages, regularization and equal remuneration for contract workers engaged in work of a perennial nature. International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) extends its solidarity to the struggling workers and calls upon the management to negotiate with the workers.
INDIA: Workers of Wheels India Employees' Union an affiliate of Shramik Ekta Maha Sangh (SEMS) are on strike from March 11, 2011 demanding increased wages, regularization and equal remuneration for contract workers engaged in work of a perennial nature. Earlier on March 23, Mr.Sudhershan Rao, Director, IMF South Asia Office visited the striking workers and extended the solidarity of IMF.
The union submitted a charter of demands covering all workers employed in Wheels India Ltd. Workers had to go on strike as the management, against the provisions of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970, has been employing contract workers and trainees on the same assembly lines where regular workers are also working. Wheels India workers demand that the company should abide by the statutory provisions of Contract Labour Act. Wheels India unit at Ranjangaon, Pune employs about 159 regular workers and more than 800 contract workers and trainees.
Workers also demand productivity linked compensation for additional system & method improvements and cooperation to more flexible work practices, based on comprehensive work study conducted in compatibly with ILO norms and incorporation of cyclic and extra cyclic work. The management has been engaged in anti-union activities by changing the workers' designation so that they cannot engage in collective bargaining and union activities.
Wheels India is one of the leading manufacturers of steel wheels for passenger cars, utility vehicles, trucks, buses, agricultural tractors and construction equipments in India. The company is promoted by TVS group. As per company information, it supplies two thirds of the domestic market requirement and exports 18 per cent of the turnover to North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and South Africa. Its customers include major Indian and international automobile and heavy vehicles manufacturers namely Caterpillar, Komatsu, Volvo, JCB, Hindustan Motors, L&T, Hyundai and Mitsubishi. Apart from Pune, other units of the company are located at Padi and Sriperumbudur in Tamilnadu, Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, Bawal in Haryana and Pant Nagar in Jharkhand.