Four MUL employees go on fast-unto-death

Narad Online, Monday 18 December 2000, 4:30 PM

NEW DELHI (Narad Online): Problems for the management of India's largest car maker continued when four employees today began a fast-unto-death. The four are Maruti Udyog Employees Union Joint Secretary Madanlal Sharma, Dayachand Yadav, Mangeram and D K Chauhan, all executive members of the Union. They are demanding that the good conduct undertaking be withdrawn and that 92 employees suspended by the management be reinstated.

The fast began before the Office of Heavy Industry Minister Manohar Joshi here early this morning.

The four employees would continue their fast till all the demands of the union are met, MUEU President Dinesh Yadav told PTI here.

Besides reinstatement of 92 dismissed workers, Maruti employees are demanding withdrawal of the code of conduct, and a better incentive scheme.

Government, at the tripartite meeting with MUEU and company management last week, had proposed a four-point compromise package to end the two-month long impasse which was rejected by the unions.

While asking employees cooperation in restoring normalcy at the factory, the package included acceptance by the employees of the incentive scheme proposed by the management and leaving the cases of the suspended and terminated employees to be decided as per law.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has also rejected a plea by the union for allowing striking workers to resume duties without giving an undertaking of good conduct.

No talks between the MUL management and unions is scheduled in the near future, Yadav said.