Maruti Struggle: Once Again Trade Unions Sow Illusions and Force Workers to Bend Before Pro-Corporate Government and its Ministers

- WSP/ 15 November 2012

 

Just four days after the Trade Unions under Stalinists, Maoists and Centrists, had led the struggling workers of Maruti to beg before the local MLA of Gurgaon, and sports Minister in Haryana Government, Sukhbir Kataria, “seeking resolution to the issues between the sacked workers and management of MSIL”, these trade unions have once again forced the workers to appeal to the Industries Minister, Randip Singh Surjewala, with folded hands, in a march to his residence at Kaithal, Haryana.

A public statement issued on 12.11.2012, prepared obviously not by the workers, but by these trade union leaders by consensus and circulated around, says thus, “On 8, We broke our hunger strike in front of the DC Office and inside the jail at 4pm, and took out the mass rally from the Mini Secretariat to the Youth and Sports Minister, Sukhbir Kataria’s residence at the Bus stand-Railway station road in Gurgaon, who came down to the street to listen to our demands, and gave us assurance of resolving our demands by taking it up with the Chief Minister after diwali”.

 

Expressing same false hopes in Industry Minister Randip Singh Surjewala, the statement repeats “We spoke to the minister, Surjewala, who listened to our demands, and gave assurance to resolve the issue at the earliest and speak to the Labour minister, Shiv Charan Lal and the Chief Minister after diwali”.

 

Notably, immediately after the workers at Manesar plant of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.(MSIL) had fought back the violence by mercenary bouncers hired by the management on 18 June, siding openly with the management and accusing workers of a conspiracy, Surjewala had claimed, "... We have got some indications. It appears it was a designed and concerted plan to disrupt industrial peace". He further said,“ the police are investigating the matter thoroughly and "very strong" action would be taken against those found guilty. The state government would make all efforts to foil the sinister designs aimed at disturbing industrial peace of the state”.

Boasting on behalf of his government, assuring a stern action against the workers, Surjewala said that, “the state government took a prompt action and the police arrested 99 people within 48 hours of the incident”. "All the principal accused have been arrested and those left out will also be behind bars. The state government has formed a special investigation team under the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon, to probe the incident", he said.

Reaffirming his commitment to the corporate elites and investors, Surjewala again spoke to press on 25 June, "It is our bounden duty to ensure that the guilty be given exemplary punishment with speed and trial commences so that punishment to perpetrators of the crime becomes an example for others not to indulge in such incidents. Bringing all praise to the management, Surjewala said, “Maruti Suzuki follows best labour practices”. Rejecting the CBI probe demanded by Mahapanchayat of villages around the Manesar plant, Surjewala said, "they were not directly related to this incident, so they can’t be heard".

 

State Labour and Employment Minister Shiv Charan Lal Sharma, to whom, trade unions want Surjewala to speak to, was even more vocal in his defence of Maruti management. Speaking to the press on 21 June, Sharma said, "They were getting all types of facilities at the factory, they were getting good amount of wages for fixed eight hours' duty" he said, adding that "Workers are completely wrong in getting into violence".

However, through their public statement issued on 12.11.2012, the Trade Unions have built-up illusions in the minds of workers that this Surjewala, would plead the case on their behalf before the Chief Minister.

 

Determined, not to permit the struggle of Maruti workers to develop into a real class offensive of workers against the corporates and their governments, these trade unions have made concerted efforts in collusion with each other, to isolate their struggles, and subdue workers into pleading for mercy before their class enemies. These trade unions know no better measures than the measures of priest Gapon:  March to the offices and residences of the elite ministers and officials with humble petitions in folded hands, appealing for kind favours and merciful benevolence. Through these Gapon-ist measures, these trade unions have failed not only the struggle of workers in Maruti, but innumerable such struggles have become casualty under their axe.
 

Before finally pushing the Maruti workers to adopting these servile measures, these trade unions have done their best in cornering and weakening their powerful struggle. These trade unions had repeatedly convinced the workers to accept all sorts of compromises as imposed by the management, and desist from offering resistance to them.
 

During the recent hunger strike by 548 dismissed workers outside the plant premises at Manesar, these trade unions first prevailed upon the workers to permit the production continue inside the plant, duping the strikers that inside on-duty workers would simultaneously go on hunger strike, but in fact betrayed the promise. They also convinced the strikers to exclude those 160 workers, who were implicated in criminal cases, from their demand of reinstatement. Before that these trade unions had succeeded in forging a divide between the regular and casual workers. From the inception of struggle in Maruti, these trade unions have tooth and nail opposed the idea of summoning other sections of workers, including those under their influence, to the aid of the Maruti struggle.  After fragmenting the struggle and isolating it from millions of other workers at Manesar, trade unions offered the ‘humble petitions’ as the only way left before the workers.
 

These trade unions have played critical role in binding the working class to the bourgeois democracy, by sowing illusions in the mind of workers and youth in ‘peaceful and legal means’ and preventing them from rising in class unison against the ruling corporate and their state.
 

In rendering this great service to the capitalists and their state, the trade unions are finding favour with them, while acting against the class interests of the working class.
 

Our party, WSP, has again and again exposed the real character of these trade unions, which are institutional foundation for Stalinists, Maoists and Centrists of all colours. These trade unions are serving cages to keep the working class tiger locked inside under sedative doses of bourgeois democracy and liberalism.
 

Our party, WSP, severely condemns the public statement of 12.11.2012 and similar statements issued earlier by these trade unions in the name of workers, for their Gapon-ist overtures and compromising overtones. We appeal to the workers to break away from these trade unions and stop listening to their bogus advice. These trade unions are subjugating you and your struggle to the corporates, their state and officials. We appeal you to take to struggle against your class enemy, turn to your class brethren-the workers in other industries around, and above all turn to your party, the only party of working class, the party of socialism-Workers’ Socialist Party (WSP).

 

Related Reports Links:

http://new-wave-nw.blogspot.in/2012/11/struggle-in-maruti-suzuki-at-manesar.html
 

http://new-wave-nw.blogspot.in/2011/10/maruti-strike-workers-remain-resolute.html

http://new-wave-nw.blogspot.in/2011/10/unity-of-workers-at-maruti-suzuki.html

http://new-wave-nw.blogspot.in/2011/10/workers-strike-resumes-at-maruti.html

http://new-wave-nw.blogspot.in/2011/10/maruti-suzuki-struggle-social-democrats.html

http://new-wave-nw.blogspot.in/2011/09/maruti-suzuki-workers-struggle-at.html