Illegally terminated workers of Yazaki India Pvt Ltd plant of Lakkenahalli of Ramnagara district of Karnataka have been staging a protest under the banner of AICCTU outside the factory gate since 26th December. Last month, about 153 workers were illegally and abruptly terminated by this unit. Yazaki is a Japan based company that manufactures automobile wiring equipment.
Besides the termination without notice, the workers are plagued with myriad other issues as Yazaki does not concern itself much with sticking to legal labour practices. It employs about 1500 workmen in this manner, terming them “trainee operator” who in fact perform core jobs which are the same as the permanent workers. These workers have all been working continuously for various periods extending to three years. These workers are also denied other benefits extended to the permanent workmen, including production incentive, leave facilities, bonus, shoes/uniforms etc. These workers do overtime work without double the pay and are forced to work for continuous double (16 hours) or sometimes even triple (24 hours) shifts. The list continues.
The factory was initially in Bangalore district in the outskirts, later shifted to Ramnagara in January, 2022. At this time, all the workers were also shifted to the new unit. They were given assurances that they would be continued in work, and their salary would be increased and that they would eventually be made permanent workmen. These workers are mostly intra-state migrants hailing from Gulbarga, Belgaum, Chikkamagaluru, and other districts of Karnataka.
53 workers were not able to punch-out after their shift in the biometric attendance machine on the night of 13.12.2022. Shockingly, on presenting themselves to the factory on 14.12.2022 at 6.00 am, these workers were told by the HR Assistant of the management that they have been terminated. About 100 other workers who saw what was happening to the 53 workers came in solidarity with them and were sacked.
Due to the pressure built by the movement, management was forced to assure in a conciliation meeting with the Deputy Labour commissioner (DLC) that all the workers will be taken back. As of now around 30 workers have been called back for work. However, inspite of recorded assurances, there is no more progress in taking the workers back since the last three weeks. It is becoming increasingly difficult for them to survive without a salary as they are mostly from different districts of Karnataka. Currently, the demand is to complete the process of reinstating all the workers immediately, as assured.
– Karanataka General Labour Union (Yazaki Unit) AICCTU
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