Assault on One is Assault on All of Us
Not long back most of the big-bourgeois periodicals of this country were replete with articles on the Maruti-Suzuki workers struggle. That was in 2011. Now they are totally mum. Earlier the Maruti-Suzuki Manesar plant, had no noticeable history of workers struggle. The multi-national company management never allowed the workers any room to stand upright with dignity, keeping them chained in unsparing harsh iron rules. In such a factory in 2011 all the workers, permanent and contract, completely stalled production not once but thrice in a span of merely five months. Naturally it was quite expected that the Maruti employer, who, among the automobile industries of Gurgaon, are foremost in carrying out blatant aggression on the workers, in one word, the captain among the employers in this regard, would not by any means bear with the 'unruly obstinacy' of the workers who dared to defy them and build their own independent union. But in spite of a series of attacks and conspiracies launched by the management they were unable to suppress the workers. The workers ultimately, after the three phases of work-stoppage, were able to snatch their right to form their own union.
It may be mentioned, that not only the workers of Maruti-Suzuki, even the workers of their main employer Suzuki's Powertrain, casting and Motorcycle plants joined the 2011 struggle at one point of time. In any case, the Maruti workers struggle at that time created lots of enthusiasm among the industrial workers of different states of India. Although the same spirited enthusiasm was not uniformly felt everywhere. In fact, where the workers boycotted the old established union leadership and were building resistance struggles against the attacks of the employers through separate unions formed independently or have been preparing for it, at those places particularly, the workers were enthused and inspired most of all. This was a struggle of the Maruti workers themselves. None of the Central Trade Unions' possessive influence prevailed. Of course that was not at the start. Initially during the formation of the union at Maruti Suzuki there was an extent of influence and command of the AITUC.
During the second phase and particularly the third strike the workers in the main instead of toeing the advice and intervention of the AITUC, HMS etc. decided and proceeded with their struggle themselves. In reality, the workers through their continued, uncompromising struggle were able to achieve two things at the same time. One for the first time, even though not fully, but yet to a large extent the workers were able to crush the audacity of the outrageous and autocratic Maruti management who had been habitually used to keep the workers subjugated. Secondly, they were able in all practicality to come out of the clutches of authority and high-handedness of the Central Trade Unions and establish their independent authority and control. And this was not possible through one strike. The workers had to go through three strikes.
Just as the Maruti struggle inspired the militant workers of different regions in the country, on the other hand that very fact had become a cause for alarm and fear among the big capitalists, particularly the multinational companies, more so, thinking of their future. To the latter, Maruti company had to an extent been an ideal. Maruti was an instance of how to throttle the protesting voices of the worker and maintain industrial peace(!) to produce daily 1200 cars or even more. In a period when the work for second generation reforms along the path of globalization liberalization has gathered pace, for the capitalists this is of utmost necessity to maintain industrial peace and to continue with the wrenching away of every bit of energy of the workers for their mission of superprofits. For such a peace they are not a bit hesitant to show extreme ruthlessness. In such a scenario, there cannot be any doubt that the incident of the Maruti workers rising up unitedly and boldly countering the brutal attacks of their management, ought to be of grave concern for the numerous employers and management of the Gurgaon-Manesar auto industries belt. Especially because it had been happening in Maruti, an ideal of the present day modern capitalists. More alarming for them had been the fact that the workers in many other factories who, being disgusted with the established leadership of the Central Trade Unions, are thinking of building up their independent unions and struggles were being inspired and emboldened by the experience in Maruti. The employers and management know that the outsider leaders can be tamed and pressurized but not the workers easily. About a thousand miles away in the words of a tea estate owner this same tone is heard when he says "the most disconcerting thing is the workers do not want to listen to the leaders."
But at this moment, the Maruti employers more so, and even all the employers, especially of the hundreds from the Gurgaon-Manesar belt are overjoyed. From 18th July of last year the situation has drastically changed. Once again the Maruti management has returned to their earlier position and they have achieved that with far more brutality.
The hard earned successes of the 2011 struggle have been lost. 546 permanent workers are retrenched and out of their jobs. 149 workers including the union leaders are locked up in jail. The penal charges of article 302 is hanging over their heads like the sword of Damocles. Those who are inside the factory are silently engaged in production. What else can be wished for? After this it is quite natural that there will be much ecstasy and glee in the homes of the employers and the management. It is quite natural that the extorting exploiters will always take revenge on the workers.
But the Maruti employers, the management and their brethren does not know or are not keeping in mind that their ecstasy will be short-lived. Utilizing the opportunities created by a mistake committed by the workers, with the support of an over-enthusiastic police and administration, for the moment they can corner and trample upon the workers. They possess this power, the power of the police, administration and the law of the land. But they are oblivious to the fact that since roughly the last decade the workers, not only of this country but even of Europe, America and other less developed countries have started brushing off their prolonged passivity and helplessness and have once again started rising up. The capitalists do not have the power to overturn it. Not only that, by taking lessons from their past experiences and thus challenging and discarding the authority of the longtime entrenched reformists - compromisers the workers for the necessity of their struggle are creating a new trend of workers movement by forming their own organizations. The Maruti struggle is one among these. Neither the capitalists nor their governments have the power to obstruct this trend. In the initial stages the capitalist may get some success, as at present. But at the same time we have to realize that till the moment when this arousal of the workers i.e. this new emerging trend, is unable to extend beyond its small restricted boundaries (as in our country) and attain wide-reaching levels the capitalist employees will be able to crush these struggles to a large extent in their respective factories. How tough and bitter is it to struggle in isolated factories based on the sole forces of the factory against the combined alliance of the employer-governments and the old established leaders that is not unknown to the struggling workers. Like the front-ranking soldiers in a war these advanced fighting workers will be repeatedly assaulted and hurt. Looking at that, the employers and management may at present express wild exhilaration boasting about their power and success, as the Maruti management is able to display. But they forget that the irresistible development of the history can never be obstructed by repression. They also forget that taking lessons from every failure and success (at this moment expectedly failures are more) the assaulted workers will advance and the other workers from the rear will also join ranks with them. They will rectify today's mistakes in the coming days. The Maruti workers will in the same way learn from their mistakes and shortcomings and arise with renewed, awakened strength. This is not simply a matter of faith, this is the truth - the demand of history.
The Maruti management quite promptly utilized the 18th July 2012 incident of the workers outburst with the target of counter attacking the workers, an opportunity for which they were probably waiting for. Continued dilly-dallying with the charter of demands placed by the union, specially the provocative behaviours of the top management pushed the workers to the last limits of their patience that burst out in the form of the 18th July incident. In this unplanned, fully spontaneous, violent outburst and turmoil one officer got killed. Those mainly responsible for pushing these workers towards such a violent incident took no time in leaping upon the workers with tremendous barbarity to smash, and destroy the unity and fighting spirit of the workers. Whether it will be a total destruction or not that only the future will be able to tell. But one thing is for sure that at this moment the Maruti workers have had to retreat drastically and they are forced to pass through a tough, miserable condition. Probably it will not be wrong to say that the workers definitely did not think about the consequences of the incident in which they got involved. In fact they were not in a condition to think over it. Undoubtedly this was an expression of long accumulated anger and hatred against the exploitation and torture by the management which does not erupt in any calculated, planned manner. Actually the workers did not take into their consideration one thing and that had been one of their big mistakes. That is, they did not or could not fathom that to what extent workers struggling in one single factory could go. That the capitalist class and their government can be hundred times more brutal and barbaric than them and in the present state system they have the power to do it. Hounding out workers from village after village and recklessly arresting them, keeping 149 workers imprisoned in jail for indefinite periods without bail, pushing the workers into repression and panic from all sides, throwing out more than half the number of workers from their jobs, foisting upon the workers and their families a half-starved, uncertain life, in the midst of total indifference and inhuman behavior of the ministers and bureaucrats - what else is this other than terrible violence. The ironical thing about this violence is it does not resonate with any sudden explosive sound, it is stealthy and formidable, sanctioned by the prevalent laws.
Facing that ruthless reality the Maruti workers must also be realizing that they have also made another big mistake. While fighting against an influential multinational company as Maruti, specially when all the big and medium capitalists are totally united around the globalization -liberalisation policies adopted to launch more and more attacks on the working class, with the governments ever-ready to protect their interests, they have thought it to be sufficient to fight it out solely by themselves. It means they thought that without the direct support of other factory workers, based on their sole fighting strength they could fully settle accounts with their employer and management. If they had paid proper attention to the situation prevailing everywhere they would have realized that in the present situation their strength means not merely the strength of their own factory-level, it is the strength of the mass of all workers, specially the unity of workers of Gurgaon-Manesar and the strength of those struggling workers who stood beside them in solidarity. Suffice to say, that during retreat the Maruti workers have to rectify it in the interest of forging ahead with their bitter ongoing struggle.
Of course at this moment with the disruption of unity of the Maruti workers, which they had accomplished through the struggle of 2011, reviving and preserving it from repeated assaults, has become a big hurdle for the workers. Stating it in clear terms, more than half of the workers who are presently working in the factory have remained mum. Firstly, it is undoubtedly tough to withstand a big jolt and once again get up on one's feet. Further it is also a fact that the repression of the management has forced these workers, at least temporarily, to keep quiet. It is not true that they did not try. When they tried to form an advanced workers team within the factory, in no time thirteen of them were transferred by the management to distant places. On the other hand those who are outside are becoming more and more restless. It is natural that they are seeking a speedy settlement although in reality they are not seeing any possibility of it. Undoubtedly, this is also another point of pressure on them. Of course, the brighter side amid this is the workers have been able to reunite and form a leading centre overcoming their dispersed state, which at this moment is quite valuable.
Another significant problem or shortcoming in the present Maruti workers struggle is also worth noting. The Maruti workers have no doubt fought excellently in 2011 but in it the element of spontaneity was more. They have gathered valuable experience but such experience is of only one and half year. The general workers, especially those who are presently leading the struggle, have not been able to get the time to be trained on the relations of organization and struggle, particularly the appropriate, developed understanding and consciousness regarding the inter-relation between the two. Before they could acquire that they had to face this tremendous jolt. Earlier the resignation and exodus of the whole committee during the previous phase of struggle in 2011was also a big jolt. But in spite of that the fact that even after so many disasters the workers have been able to handle the situation to regroup and revive, and newer leaders are appearing, proves what the workers can do. We know that workers, specially the advanced among them are learning from everyday experiences and they have to learn, otherwise they won't be able to withstand the tremendous adverse situation and carry on their struggle. It must be kept in mind that the workers of Gurgaon-Manesar-Dharuhera industrial belt, whose interests are also to great extent dependent on the future of the Maruti struggle, have not yet been able to come forward to strengthen this struggle.
As a natural course, in the present condition the Maruti workers are ought to focus and have in fact focused in eliciting support and help in general from other workers and workers organisations in an effort to build all round pressure on the Haryana government. It is also an encouraging aspect that the worker representatives have formed teams and reached different areas in and around Delhi with the call to stand in support of their struggle and even reached different states on the all India protest day in support of the Maruti struggle held on the 5th of February this year. They have realized that the Central Trade Union leaders will not do anything effective other than delivering fiery speeches. For this reason the workers have to depend upon some political groups and different workers organizations outside of the mainstream parliamentary parties. Firstly, when the workers of this country have not yet been able to form their own independent organizations in adequate or noticeable numbers boycotting the old established leaders, it will probably be wrong to think that a good amount of support can be garnered from the organized workers of other states. Secondly the small political groups and different organizations who are sincerely involved and willing to lend support to the Maruti struggle are also very much constrained by their capability, and have very little influence on the workers, almost noticeable only with the help of binoculars. With the help of them how far is it possible to hold workers assemblies for central conventions and protest meetings etc? in the capital city, when the central trade unions have effectively no role, that is also a question. Whatever it is, the fact is that it is not possible to build any affective pressure on the Haryana government or the Maruti management by organizing such central level programmes from above. Even the initiative for a protest day in the first week of February taken by the Maruti union involving workers organizations outside of the mainstream in different states, although a welcome move for their thought and initiative, was destined to be limited in its scope of impact and influence at this moment. Because the realization of such programme is dependent on those same workers organizations, especially the collective organisational strength of all the political groups leading them, whose sphere of influence is very much limited. Consequently, in this case also it would be proper that the Maruti workers ought not to expect much from even this solidarity which was in reality revealed by the limited, small assemblies in spite of the encouraging fact that the protest demonstrations did take place in a number of states on the same day decided.
Recently the sudden cancellation of a planned dharna in gurgaon itself near the industrial region of gurgaon-manesar was another round of fiasco repeated by the central unions submitting to the pressures of the administration. But the maruti workers untiring spirit of struggle garnered support from another section of masses. This time the rural masses of a district town of the state lent support in continuing a sit-in demonstration and fast by the maruti workers there. With local support some sort of pressure built up in the rural locality that may have added to the political dissensions against the congress state government. The chief minister played a soft tone of starting negotiations at the labour department. But of course with very vague promises to an already complicated issue of the workers' present grievances. Of course any trade union level resolution of the workers grievances is bound to be partial. But what the workers have been able to achieve through this support is continuation of their struggle for the moment. But a struggle powerful enough to at least push the government sufficiently for even their union level resolution, is still found to be wanting.
Actually in the present circumstances, when the working class party is absent and the communist revolutionary organizations are almost detached from the working class then the much needed powerful solidarity movement for the terribly assaulted maruti struggle can only be built from the large scale spontaneous sense of oneness and participation of the worker masses. At this moment this is only possible at the local level of the industrial region. Although how far is it possible that cannot be emphatically stated but this is the arena for the maruti workers to produce that necessary extent of impact on capital and the capitalists in the state. This much can be said that the possibility lies here only, within the mass of workers of gurgaon-manesar-dharuhera industrial areas, involving those who are closely witnessing the ups and downs of the maruti struggle and not only that, whose interests are directly linked with the future of the maruti struggle. Especially when the interests of almost all the automobile industry employers are also intertwined with the maruti employer's interests, their leader, and the concentration of capital and the interests of the capitalists in such a region is very much at stake . Probably it will not be an exaggeration to state that instead of the central programmes decided from above if the thousands of workers of manesar-gurgaon by means of a stirring agitation are able to raise their voice that "assault on one is assault on all of us!" That will create much more impact on the haryana or the central government.
If the terribly tough struggle of the maruti workers has to proceed towards a decisive position then it appears the worker leaders of maruti have to focus more attention on gurgaon-manesar and of course on rebuilding the unity of workers within and out of maruti manesar factory. It is not known that if the workers of gurgaon-manesar-dharuhera holdup further in coming forward then how long the fighting workers of maruti and their leadership can continue the struggle with united, firm resolve. But for the fact that they have been able to defy tremendous repression and rise up, and continue against numerous obstacles we on behalf of the class conscious workers hail them with thousands of red salute.
Comments:
| Name- | MIHIR RUIDAS |
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| Comment- | AKHON DEKHA JACHE BISESKORE GERAM AR SORMIK DER KARKHANAR VETOR BIRODHI MONOVHAV O KARKHANAR BAIRE BUJUYA PARTI DER SAPOTKORA A TAR MOKABI ANOKONO SACHA SORMIKDER PARTI UPOSTITI THAKA. KUNTU ADIKE ABAR SOBAI VENGE KHAN KHAN HOYE JACHE AI PORISTITITE POTH |