Police disperse striking workers ; allow the company to declare an illegal lock-out
It should come as no surprise that the police joined hands with a company management to put down the genuine protest by workers. The workers were merely demanding their basic rights of 8 hour work-day and an association that could represent them in the future. The police had taken a very partisan line of action. On the pretext of a complaint, they went into the factory premises, demanded the workers to call of their agitation and even threatened them with false charges if they refused to disperse. The company went ahead with its lock-out thus effectively starving thousands of family at a festive time.
BYD is a Chinese company providing mobile covers for Nokia mobile phones. Its subsidiary operates from Oragadum, a fast growing industrial suburb of Chennai in close proximity to the Nokia factory in Chennai. It is estimated that more than 4000 employees work at this facility, with about 3200 as contract workers, without any social security, job guarantee or other rights. It is also ironic that more than 50% of the workforce is women. They have been working in 12 hour shifts with very little safety (the company remould plastic pellets to make cellphone covers) or decent working conditions. The workers went on a strike from October 21st demanding a reduction of work day to 8 hours, better amenities, more decent and safe work environment especially for women as they face extreme sexual abuse from the supervisors. Some important questions raise from this incident.
How come the strike is illegal, while a lock-out declared without proper notice is being enforced? How is it that the labour department who intervened to arbitrate between the workers and the management mute on the lock-out? Why should there be any arbitration at all on matters of basic fundamental rights? Is it not the right of workers to 8hr shift? Is it not the right of workers to organize themselves into a union?
The State and its machinery is an agency of capitalist and can and will act no differently. Tamilnad, which cannot guarantee basic rights for workers that would enable a decent life for their families, is in the forefront of industrialization. This is not just a story of Tamilnad but of all regions of India, that are vying with each other to placate Multi National and Transnational corporations. What is the discount offer, workers wages, workers safety and health and working class rights. The workers of this country cannot and should not remain mute to this assault on their very basis of life.
The workers of the BYD who are on struggle under the banner of CITU have put their neck out against all odds, the factory level leadership has really done a commendable job. It is time that the struggles of the working class are led with all the steadfastness and with an uncompromising stance to wards the fundamental rights and entitlements with no dilution what so ever, but this demands a complete democratization of the leadership of the working class in this country. In this struggle, the New Socialist Alternative stands steadfast with the workers and will commit its full support to their heroic struggle
In Solidarity
Venkat T
Chennai