YAMAHA Workers Strike – an Uncompromising Struggle in Our Time

750 YAMAHA India Motors permanent workers have been in strike since 21 September 2018. YAMAHA India motors is located in Vallam Sipcot, Sriperumpudhur near Chennai. The Japanese company management had terminated two of the union members for their involvement in union activities. The terminated workers did not accept the termination orders. The union went into strike immediately after the illegal termination of its members.

YAMAHA India motors workers have been treated unfairly like forcing the workers to clean toilet, intimidate the workers who raise for their rights etc by the management for long time. The workers started unionizing the permanent workers of the company to uphold their labor rights. To create trouble for their union activities, YAMAHA management tried to intimidate, suspend and transfer the workers within departments frequently. In spite of management efforts, workers started organizing themselves stronger than before. So, as part of repressive action, the management had terminated two of its union members for participating in conciliation meeting on 20 September 2018.

Now after several tripartite meeting with Tamilnadu Labor Commissioner, the YAMAHA management is not ready to follow the advice of the labor department. The labor dept has advised the management to reinstate the two terminated workers and not to retaliate the workers in strike. The labor dept advised the workers to give up the strike and return to work as the YAMAHA India Motors comes under public utility service company, they have to give notice before going into strike.

The workers are ready to resume their work but only with the two terminated workers. But the YAMAHA management is not ready to respect the advice of the Tamilnadu labor department. YAMAHA management is in fear of the workers unity and their fighting spirit. It did not want to bow its head to the workers struggle as it will embolden the workers in their company as well as other workers in the industrial area.

FITE Tamilnadu has met the striking workers on 01 OCT 2018 at the Vallam SIPCOT campus and stood in solidarity with them. We also handed over Rs.4000 on behalf of FITE as small financial contribution to help the struggle

YAMAHA workers are continuing their uncompromising struggle till their demands are agreed by the management.