Strike drags, but Maruti committed to Haryana

The standoff between the workers and the management at market leader Maruti Suzuki's factory at Manesar dragged into its 13th day on Wednesday as talks to break the deadlock have failed so far.

The company said it was not revising its investments announced in the troubled Gurgaon-Manesar region and fresh investment in Gujarat for a new factory is independent of the labour unrest in Haryana.

The company with its vendors would invest close to ₹18,000 crore in Gujarat with the first phase slated at ₹4,000 crore. The board of directors is expected to clear this on October 29.

'It is not correct to link the current labour problem in Manesar with our investment in Gujarat,' said RC Bhargava, chairman, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. 'There is no question of us pulling out investments from Haryana. We could not have invested anymore there as it was completely exhausted. The decision to invest in Gujarat was anyway taken before the strike.'

Workers have been striking at Manesar demanding that the company recognise a separate independent union and reinstate 44 workers dismissed on disciplinary grounds.

Even Gujarat has seen problems: General Motors saw a prolonged strike at Halol earlier this year. Gujarat also had maximum strikes and lockouts in 2010-11.

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