M&M labour woes continue, no agreement on wage hike

With regards to the ongoing wage negotiations at Mahindra & Mahindra's (M&M) Nashik plant, the agreement which was to be signed by April 15, is no closer to being signed due to no agreement on increase in production capacity. CNBC-TV18’s Sunanda Jayaseelan reports.

According to the workers at M&M’s Nashik plant, nearly one month after the deadline for signing of the wage agreement between workers and employees at Nashik expired, they are no closer to signing that because of a couple of issues especially releated to production.
Right now, production capacity at Nashik is about 550 units per day. The management is asking for that to be increased to around 790 units per day or increasing the speed of the conveyor belt from 3.8 miles per hour to 4.8 miles per hour.
Second issue is the amount of increase that the workers are asking for, which the management is unwilling to give. The workers are asking for Rs 10,000 increase and the management is unwilling to meet that figure and hence the talks have been stuck.
Earlier CNBC-TV18 reported that Shiv Sena and its leader Uddhav Thackeray were involved as far as bringing about a breakthrough in M&M’s Igatpuri strike was concerned and in the taking back of two workers who were suspended.
Workers of Nashik say, it is an option that hasn’t been explored as of yet, but could possibly be explored going forward.
The next meeting between workers and the Labour Commissioner in Nashik will take place on May 16.