Talks continue as Maruti Manesar plant strike enters 14th day

Marathon talks brokered by the Haryana government between the management and striking workers at Maruti Suzuki India's Manesar plant are still on, with the stir entering its 14th day on Thursday.

According to the company, the talks that began on Wednesday morning at 11 am continued through the night and were still going on Thursday morning.

"The tripartite negotiation is still going on since 11 am Wednesday," a Maruti Suzuki India spokesperson told PTI.

Talks between the MSI management and workers in the presence of Haryana Labour Department officials resumed on Wedneday morning after they broke down on October 18.

"Hopes of an agreement were raised late on Wednesday night, but an agreement could not be reached as both sides stuck to their stands," a source privy to the talks said.

Meanwhile, shares of the company were being quoted 0.04 per cent lower at Rs 1,065.10 apiece at 0925 hours on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

In the meantime, the company said it will continue partial production

at its Manesar plant with a limited workforce.

The company has already resumed operations at the plant with workers who did not join the strike. It claimed that the strength at the plant has gone up to 600 and rolled out 200 cars on Wednesday.

MSI chairman R C Bhargava said on Wednesday the company was hopeful the impasse would end in the next 4-5 days.

"We have been talking to them for the last three days. We keep talking as a solution to these things takes some time. I cannot say when, but only I can hope that the issues will be solved in the next 4-5 days," he said.

Workers of the car-maker have been on strike demanding the reinstatement of about 1,200 casual workers.

They are also demanding that all the 44 permanent workers who have been suspended after a settlement agreement signed on October 1 to end a 33-day-long standoff are taken back, along with those who have been fired during the ongoing protest.

In the meantime, workers at Suzuki Powertrain India Ltd and Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd, who have also gone on strike in support of colleagues at MSI's Manesar plant, are continuing their stir.