An appeal to Student-Youth and Progressive citizens
STAND WITH HONDA WORKERS STRUGGLE!
COME AND SUPPORT THE INDEFINITE HUNGER STRIKE BY THE WORKERS AT JANTAR MANTAR ON 19 SEPTEMBER 2016!
Student-Workers Unity Long Live!
Friends/Comrades,
We, the Honda workers from Tapukara, Rajasthan are going to sit on an indefinite hunger strike from 19 September 2016 at Jantar Mantar. The conflict between the Honda workers and the management started when workers decided to initiate a worker was beaten up and was held back in the company for forced overtime on 16 February 2016. When all the workers came to know about it, they demanded an enquiry and action on the accused engineer. In the meantime, the company management called the bouncers who aggressively attacked the workers. Soon the police came and had a brutal lathi charge on the workers. Many workers had grievous injury. Farcically, workers were slapped serious charges under section 307, 395 etc of IPC and were put behind the bar. Around 3000 contract workers and 200 permanent workers were thrown out of their job.
For the last 7 months, we, the Honda workers, are struggling relentlessly. Till date we were denied permission by the police-administration-court to have even a peaceful demonstration anywhere near the industrial belt and we were not allowed for any kind of sit-in protest in any place in between Gurgaon and Jaipur. On 19 February, around 5000 workers had a rally from Tau Devilal Park, Gurgaon to the Honda head office, and started sit in demonstration there. Within a day the workers were forced to leave by the police under the pretext of section 144. After that the workers tried to have peaceful demonstrations in Tapukara, Alwar, Dharuhera, Jaipur but could not advance because of severe repression by the police-administration. The workers sought justice from the Rajasthan and Haryana government, but there was no response.
In this situation, the Honda workers have decided to intensify the struggle. The workers have decided that an indefinite hunger strike will be initiated from 19 September 2016 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, demanding that all the suspended and terminated workers be taken back, all the false criminal cases be withdrawn immediately and all trade union rights are ensured.
WE APPEAL TO THE STUDENT-YOUTH AND PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY TO STAND WITH THE HONDA WORKERS!
In last few years, we are witness of some powerful student movements in Delhi-NCR and beyond. These movements have drawn significant popular and media attention. Also the progressive section of society have reacted time and again against the state sponsored divisive politics and repression on popular struggles. But simultaneously many intense struggles of workers in the underbelly of ‘Make in India’ have gone almost unnoticed. Against Corporate capital and repressive state machinery, we don’t consider the struggles of different sections of society as watertight compartments.
As we plan to start indefinite hunger strike, we appeal to the student-youth and progressive intellectuals to stand with us in our fight for justice and take part in the demonstrations, campaigns and fund-raisings in the college-university spaces as well as industrial belts. We appeal to them to highlight our issue in whatever form — through cultural initiatives, writing in social-mainstream-alternative media etc and also sending letters to competent authorities. Also the Honda workers have given a call for the boycott of Honda two-wheeler products like ACTIVA, SHINE etc. We appeal to all to further the campaign. Shockingly, we just found out that the name of ‘Vishwavidyalaya’ Metro station has been changed to ‘Honda two-wheeler Vishwavidyalaya’ as a naked show of corporate might over university space. We need to unite to compel the authorities to immediately withdraw this change.
For our struggle, we appeal to all to generously contribute to our struggle fund. Contributions can be sent to following Bank Account:
SONU KUMAR
ACC. NO. 114501505870
ICICI BANK,
UDYOG VIHAR, GURGAON BRANCH
IFSC CODE—001145
Please send a message to this number 08950743351 (Sonu, Vice President of Honda 2f Kamgaar Samuh) or mail us at [email protected] after you make a contribution, and for any further details.
JOIN
Indefinite Hunger Strike of Honda Tapukara Workers
Date: 19th September 2016
Time: 11 am
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter 2f Kamgaar Samuh
September 20, 2016 at 11:53 am
Workers condition in automobile industry is pathetic. Some time ago, Maruti workers protested against harassment. The human rights activists and trade unions should express solidarity with Honda workers and help them solve their problems.