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[English translation of an account of work life at the Honda factory
in Gurgaon, which was the scene of massive police repression earlier
this year]
Mazdoor Samachar [monthly in Hindi],
August 2005, New Series Number 206
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter Workers: Plot 1, Sector 3, Manesar. The
biggest problem in the factory located in Gurgaon is - work, work,
work and work. The factory was set up four years ago and one thing
that has been on the rise is production demand and the burden of
work. The 'saahabs' (managers) keep the pressure of work up, and if
anyone is questioned, then you are told - "You don't have to come on
your duty tomorrow. This is how things have to be done. If you can't,
then you can leave."
In this way, one line has been made to produce 2000 scooters in one
day, by work being done in two shifts. Production of motorcycles has
reached 750 in one shift - motorcycle production work is an year and
a half old. One scooter has to be produced in 25-26 seconds. In this
way, production of 1000 scooters has been fixed for one shift. But
if, for some reason, this does not happen, then the B-shift has to
make up to meet the 2000 figure. If, in order to make this extra work
possible, production is halted for half an hour during the second
shift and then continued, then no overtime is given. If production is
still not completed then workers are forced to put in overtime.
B-shift ends at 11:15 PM, and usually one must work till 1-1:30 AM.
On and off, one has to stay back till 5:30 AM to finish the
production of 2000 scooters.
Parts are made on CNC machines, where one worker has to operate two
machines at a time. Some parts have to be made in 15 seconds, others
in 30, others in 50 seconds, and some heavy parts in up to 2 minutes
10 seconds. In all this time, two machines have to be operated
together. There are two shifts on the line, but three shifts for
production of parts. Working one shift is so tiring that overtime is
impossible, but has to be done or you will be shown the way out of
the gate.
Around 90-100 hours of overtime have to be put in every month. The
company compensates for overtime with twice the payment, but we
workers are very opposed to putting in overtime. Considering the
speed at which work is being done, no one will be able to work beyond
the age of 35-40 years.
At first glance, at a superficial level, everything is good in the
Honda Factory: Any worker (even the one who has come in through a
contractor) is given two sets of uniform, one pair of shoes and a cap
on the very day he joins. There are 25 buses which transport workers
from the home to the factory and back, and if there are few workers
then even an Indica or Qualis. There are two canteens and a meal -
roti, rice, two vegetables, curd, salad, something sweet - is
available for Rs. 6. Every worker is given a coupon of Rs. 200 for
tea and snacks every month. It is clean. There is a doctor in the
factory at all times, an ambulance, Medi-claim. Permanent workers,
trainees and apprentices are all given their payment on the first of
every month, and those who work through a contractor are paid through
him by the 7th of every month. Trainees and apprentices are brought
from far, and they are provided for accommodation for the entire
month. Some of the ITI workers brought in by the contractor work for
6-7-8 month and are thereafter sometimes retained as trainees.
Trainees are permanently employed once they finish their period of
training (one to two years).
Paucity of permanent employment opportunities and the desire for
permanent employment post trainee-ship compelled us to bear anything.
But after the incident in which a worker was kicked, we increased
dialogue amongst ourselves.
Late year, in October, at 11:15 PM in the weld-shop, during B-shift,
one manager kicked a worker. The next day, during A-shift, workers
stopped work at 9:00 AM, to protest against this. When the manager
who had kicked the worker apologised, work was resumed - this was at
2:00 PM. B-shift workers also stopped work. The manager apologised
again and work resumed at 7:30 PM. If work stops in a factory for one
day, it amounts to a loss of Rs. 8 crore.
Quarrels increased in the factory. This year, on 6th February, bonds
were asked to be signed, and the management was very forceful about
this. All the workers left their place of work and assembled in the
canteen. No one ate food. No one left when the shift ended. C-shift
workers also came and sat in the canteen. Next morning, A-shift
workers made there way to the canteen as well, instead of going to
work. Workers from all three shifts - 1200 permanent, 1600 trainee,
1000 employed through a contractor and 400 apprentices - were
congregated in the canteen. No one ate or drank any tea. The company
called police in the factory. The D.C. also reached the factory.
There was no leader among us - the company asked for 5 workers from
each department to talk with. An agreement was reached by 5-6 in the
evening - there would be no suspensions, the bonds which had been
signed were returned (workers burned them) and the production would
be completed.
Work resumed on the morning of 8th February, after having been
stalled for one and a half days. Pay was not deducted for the period
for permanent employees and trainees, but workers employed through
the contractor lost a day and a half of pay.
In April, the company gave its annual increment to the workers:
Permanent employees got a raise of Rs. 2800-3500. Trainees got a
raise of Rs. 600 (even through the raise in April 2004 was Rs. 750).
This meant permanent employees were now earning Rs. 8500-10,000 per
month; and trainees, Rs. 5600. One thousand workers employed through
K.C. Enterprises did not get any increment. Their salary remained at
Rs. 2,800. They work on production and operate the CNC machines.
Apprentices get Rs. 900 from the government, and Rs. 700 from Honda
Company. Like all companies, apprentices are put to production from
the first day itself, instead of being trained first. They work all
three shifts. Most apprentices are brought in from far off places and
Rs. 1,600 do not suffice for them. They get overtime through a
calculation on their 1,600, not what other workers would get. Once a
machine got spoilt because of an apprentice, because of which the
line didn't work the entire day. The apprentice was fired.
Things were stable for a few days. Then, a fork lifter got spoiled
and a permanent employee was suspended. Ten days after this, workers
refused to eat. The work was heavy, and so workers would drink tea.
Trainees, apprentices and workers employed through contractors were
involved in this. Despite a lot of pressure, workers employed through
the contractor did not eat at the factory. When this continued for a
month, the factory gave the worker back his work.
Talk about relief through a union began. Workers would meet at the
Devilal Park in Gurgaon at intervals of 15-20 days. Cronies among us
would report the proceedings to the company. Some steps to align with
registered and bigger unions were taken. The Honda company began to
increasingly suspend workers over small matters. It began with
workers employed through contractors, and by 26th June, 500 of the
1000 workers employed through contractors were fired. On 2nd June, to
protest against this, B-shift workers left their place of work and
went to the administrative building and shouted slogans. Production
had stopped for half an hour and was compensated for later. The
company fired four permanent employees the following day and
suspended 25. In protest, meals were refused and overtime was
stopped. Production of scooters fell from 1000 to 450-500.
On 22nd June, the company put up a notice that trainees whose
training period was over would be put to test on 24th June, a Sunday.
Those who passed the test and if considered necessary would be
employed permanently. This, when till now the company had been
employing trainees and there had been no test preceding this. No one
appeared for the test on Sunday. By this time the number of suspended
workers had increased to 50. On 27th June, when we reached for work,
the company asked us to sign certain conditions at the gate. When we
refused, the company refused to let us enter the factory. Over 300
staff, 40-50 permanent employees and workers hired through
contractors on 27th June itself, entered the factory. Work continued
- there were around 2000 people in the factory. Police was stationed
at the gate. Four thousand workers were outside the gate.
The administration was petitioned through the union. A procession.
Even came to the Parliament during the 11th July session. But nothing
changed. It was in this context that there was a clash with the
police on 25th July and we were beaten with sticks.
Following this, claims and announcements on TV, in newspapers and by
political leaders made it look like our problems would be solved. But
on the instruction of the Central Government, the compromise struck
under the aegis of the Chief Minister of Haryana has pushed us into
hell. According to this, workers returned the factories on 1st
August, and are filled with anger. Everyone is annoyed: permanent
workers are saying that if they had to sign the conditions of Honda
company afterall, then what was the point of doing all that they did.
The 35 trainees who had finished their training are still out of
work. The 500 out of 1000 workers employed through the contractor,
who were fired on 26th June have still not been hired back. Those who
had been hired through contractors on 27th will remain. The company
will not pay us for the period from 27th June to 31st July. Through
the deal that has been struck, the workers have been divided.
Postal Address:
Mazdoor Library,
Autopin Jhuggi,
NIT, Faridabad - 121001
(text translated by Shveta <shveta AT sarai.net>)
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