6 February, 2025After two years of struggle, 33 Rieter India Employee Federation (RIEF) union members remain terminated, with additional dismissals on December 19 of those previously suspended. RIEF is affiliated to IndustriALL through Shramik Ekta Mahasangh.
Rieter India management have been threatening union officials with suspension, transfers and termination since the beginning of 2023, when members of RIEF went on strike and filed a complaint with the labour department regarding the company’s unfair labour practices after management refused to address the union’s concerns.
As of May 2024, 33 of the 350 union members were terminated, including union office bearers, while 27 workers were suspended pending an inquiry against alleged protesting outside a management official’s house. Management also filed cases against union members in a civil court for holding a hunger strike outside the factory gate in July 2023 and for allegedly causing a US$1.2 million loss during the first strike in January 2023. In addition, union members have also been offered voluntary retirement schemes.
In November last year, after changes were made in the Indian management team, the union once again entered into good-faith dialogue with the new management. Despite positive discussions, on 19 December 2024, the current management took a decision to not reinstate the terminated workers and further dismiss the suspended workers as well.
Rohit Pawar, general secretary of Shramik Ekta Mahasangh, says:
“We have been continuously trying to cordially resolve the issues but it hasn’t worked. We have heard that the CEO of Rieter is scheduled to visit the plant in February. We have written to him requesting that he meets with the union members and address our concerns.”
Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary, says:
“We express solidarity with the struggling workers at Rieter India. IndustriALL calls on Rieter management to immediately address union’s concerns regarding Indian management’s unfair labour practices including dismissal of union members.”