Mediation fails to ease GM labour pains

The third attempt to break over a month-long deadlock at General Motors Indias Halol plant has also failed. Talks held between company management and workers in the presence of state Labour Department officials late on Wednesday could not bring an end to the longest workers strike that the state has witnessed in the last 20 years.

The third attempt to break over a month-long deadlock at General Motors Indias Halol plant has also failed. Talks held between company management and workers in the presence of state Labour Department officials late on Wednesday could not bring an end to the longest workers strike that the state has witnessed in the last 20 years.

In fact,labour officials could not bring the officials and workers face-to-face and had to speak to both the parties separately. Both the company officials and workers are adamant on their stand. We tried to find an amicable solution but they were not convinced. The workers are not ready to compromise and are demanding a written assurance. Company officials are maintaining that they would listen to the workers demands only if they resume their work, said Assistant Labour Commissioner P K Vasavda.

He admitted that this is one of those rare occasions where the workers are not ready to compromise. This is unprecedented. Normally,such strikes are wound up in a weeks time but this one has gone for almost 35 days now and there is no sign of it getting over. This is a strike where there is no leader,and probably,that is why it has taken so long because they have not been able to negotiate properly. We are doing our best to find an amicable solution, Vasavda added.

The Gujarat Kamdar Mandal,which is leading the protest,on Wednesday filed a petition with the International Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD),France. The organisation work with business,through the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD,and with labour,through the Trade Union Advisory Committee.

OECD is yet another international organisation which has supported our movement. We have filed the petition against the company. We have already got overwhelming response from the other international forums like the US-based Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights and organisations from Germany, said Nihil Mehta,general secretary,Gujarat Kamdar Mandal.

In the petition,I have raised health issues,pay disparity and unfair labour practices adopted by the company, he added.

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