Protests in Solidarity with Maruti workers

On 3rd August, at least 300 people, braving heavy downpour, marched from Subodh Mallik square to Camac street in Kolkata in solidarity with the fighting Maruti workers of Manesar plant. AICCTU, IFTU along with the worker’s union from Hindmotor, Bauria cotton mill, Kalyani spinning mill, Garden Rich Ship Builders, and Hindusthan Lever participated in the march. A 5-member team met the regional head of Maruti-Suzuki company and submitted a memorandum demanding immediate release of all arrested workers, cessation of lock out etc. Outside the Maruti office a protest meet was organised. Basudeb Bose, State general secretary of AICCTU spoke on the occasion along with other TU leaders. On 26th July, another solidarity protest demonstration was organised
by AICCTU along with NTUI and IFTU in the same venue.

On 27th July 2012 the Democratic Advocate Association organized a demonstration in the Madras High Court campus to support the Maruti workers’ struggle. This programme was headed by Bharathi (DAA Organizor) and it was addressed by senior advocates K M Ramesh, Ayyadurai, and M John Selvaraj (Organizer of Indian Lawyers Union). In this programme the protestors demanded release of the Maruti workers, and action against the Maruti management, and also demanded the Tamilnadu government to enact the trade union act and undertake the Nokia, Hyundai, Ford and other foreign and Indian companies.