Maruti halts production at its Manesar plant

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki has temporarily halted production at its Manesar plant suspecting that some workers have been tampering with the quality of cars being produced. Maruti has already suspended 21 workers and also dismissed some of the workers.

This is the third production stoppage at Manesar. Labour disputes had resulted in production being temporarily stopped in June and July.

The company is forcing workers to sign a 'good conduct bond' before entering the factory following alleged quality issues that arose last week.

Heavy security has been deployed at the plant since Monday morning as the company management decided to make the workers sign the bond.

Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) spokesperson could not be immediately contacted for comments.

However, when contacted, Shiv Kumar, who had led the workers during the strike in June, said, "The management is forcing us to sign an undertaking that we will not indulge in any union-related activities under the influence from outside following the rejection of our application to form a union at the plant by the Haryana government."

The company source, however, said MSI has been facing serious production issues, including meeting targets and quality control in the past few weeks.

"On August 24, 1,230 cars were planned to be produced, but only 437 were assembled. Out of which, just 96 cars could pass quality check," a source said.

Workers have been indulging in deliberate attempts in reducing output and also in compromising customer interests, he added.

The workers who have been suspended and dismissed are being charged with sabotage and causing quality problem in cars produced last week, the source said.

However, asked about the allegations of tempering with the products, Kumar said, "Some management-supported guys are doing this after the product is ready just to take revenge on us for the June strike."

Earlier in June, a 13-day strike demanding recognition of a new union - Maruti Suzuki Employees Union - at the Manesar plant crippled the production with the company losing 12,600 cars, which were valued at about Rs 630 crore.