Maruti chief to improve communication, end contract labour

Further, Bhargava emphasised on the fact that Maruti has a zero-tolerance policy towards violence. Hence, the company is trying to do away with issues that led to the violent clashes. The contract worker system was allegedly one of the main reasons for the trouble and Bhargava acknowledges the fact that the system was not ideal. Moreover, the company is now trying to do away with the contract system completely.

Here is the edited transcript of the interview on CNBC-TV18.

Q: It would be naive to imagine that the troubles for Maruti Suzuki are over now that the operations have partially restarted at the Manesar facility because we are seeing protests by the workers who are being sacked and that's a large number, 500 of them. The entire belt is now coming out in support of the sacked workers. So, it would be too simplistic to assume that things will get back to normalcy starting today.

Bhargava: I agree with you. I don’t think we ever imagined that merely lifting the lockout and starting partial production would mean that everything is normalised. We did expect and we do expect workers who have been discharged from the company to carry out protests.

We do expect that these people will try and influence the other workers either not to work or to support them. We have to deal with that. I think the local administration is also aware of what's going on and we have to together work to see that over time we normalize.

Q: But there has been no indication of a strike given to you by the Gurgaon union because they have come out in support of the discharged workers. But has there been any indication that they would actually want a tool down or a strike, anything of this sort?

Bhargava: No, we have no indication of any kind of production disruption or disruption of industrial action at the Gurgoan factory.