Ludhiana - The strike of the workers of Marshall Machines Limited (Ludhiana), a company that manufactures CNC lathe machines, under the leadership of the factory labor union, has ended on December 19 at around 8 pm. During this strike which started on November 9, 2023, the workers continued to strike in a militant manner. The plans of the employers to subjugate the workers were thwarted. On November 8, the company fired 5 labor leaders. After this, from the afternoon of November 9, 73 out of 90 workers of the company went on strike with the demands of reinstatement of labor leaders, increase in salary, payment of bonus, correct attendance record and stopped almost all the manufacturing work in the company. was During the strike, when it became clear that the company owner-management would not accept their demands, the workers announced on November 26 that either their demands should be accepted or their salary, gratuity, bonus, vacations etc. should be paid in full. . Some of the laborers who were on strike were lured by the company for salary increase etc., show cause notices and charge sheets were issued to about 20 laborers, action notices were sent to all the laborers, fines were threatened. But despite all this, the workers persisted in the strike and finally the company had to bow. The 60 laborers who are on strike have to pay gratuity, arrears of salary, bonus, holidays etc. according to the law. This achievement of the workers is important because the workers have seen during their 20-20, 25-25 years of employment that the company has never paid due wages, gratuity, bonus, vacation etc. to the workers who quit or were fired. Not paid the balance. Some of the non-strike workers and those who left the strike also left their jobs during the strike period. The financial condition of the company has been in a very bad condition after the Corona lockdown. Where 40-40 machines were being made in a month, this number had dropped considerably. During the last year, this number has been from 1-2 machines to 7-8 machines. The entire burden of recession has been placed on the workers. Salary increase has not been given and their salaries of 2-2, 3-3 months have been withheld. Fed up with this condition of the company and the anti-labour attitude of the owner-management, during the last 3-4 years, about 300 workers have left the work or many have been fired, but they have not been paid their outstanding gratuity, bonus, holidays. Let alone the money etc., the outstanding salary of 2-2, 3-3 months has not been paid. In such a situation, getting the balance of gratuity, salary arrears, bonus, holidays etc. through struggle is a great achievement of the workers.
Most of these workers wanted to leave the company before unionization in February 2023, but they continued to work after unionization started paying salaries every month. Demand for timely payment of wages after union formation in February 2023. The company was forced to pay EPF, which was suppressed for one and a half years, the workers deprived of EPF and ESI facility got these rights. Salary slip applied. Succeeded in registering a union named 'Marshall Machinery's Mazdoor Union, Punjab'. The workers also hoped that the company might come out of recession. But it didn't happen. Due to the continuation of the recession, the dismissal of leaders for breaking the union, non-implementation of wage increases, lack of sufficient strength to meet the basic demands of the strike, the workers had to come to the decision to leave the job. The workers had to go on strike due to the sacking of the labor leaders. But the workers could not get enough strength to fulfill the basic demands of this strike (reinstatement of the leaders, etc.) which was forced during the recession. For one thing, work stoppages during the recession had little effect on the employer. Secondly, the number of striking workers was small due to which the government administration could not put enough pressure on it. Secondly, the workers of other factories could not get enough support. The owners of other factories also could not tolerate the existence of a militant-honest labor union in the area, so it would not be an exaggeration to say that they also pushed for the break-up of the martial machine and labor union. Due to these reasons, the conflict between the owners and management remained heavy and the striking workers could not accept their basic demands and had to retreat and fight for the demand of accounting, in which they have also achieved success.
The biggest achievement of this strike is the persistent struggle of the workers against looting and injustice and the wisdom gained during this. The struggle fought in strikes and other forms since February 2023 and during this strike the workers have learned to struggle in a democratic, systematic and combative manner under the leadership of the Factory Labor Union. The workers have seen how the entire political/governmental system is in favor of the capitalists, that they have no other option but to unite and struggle. All the workers from Congress, Akalis, BJP and other capitalist parties have also understood the anti-labor character of Aam Aadmi Party. After a long time, there has been a planned, militant and protracted strike by the laborers in Ludhiana. During this 41-day long strike, the issues of laborers were raised through pamphlets, corner meetings, foot marches in various labor settlements and appeals for support were made. The effect of this was seen in the form that the attempts of the employers to thwart the strike by bringing other workers did not succeed, but the workers who were not involved in the strike. Many of them also left their jobs. With the pride of not bowing down to the greedy owners of Marshall Machines Limited and achieving many achievements, keeping the militant flag of the factory labor union aloft, learning the lessons of the achievements-failures, deficiencies-weaknesses during the struggle, the labor struggle in the future. Resolving to spread the flares to other factories, the workers have ended the strike with enthusiastic slogans. This is an important achievement of the Martial Machines labor struggle which will help to advance the labor struggle in Ludhiana in the coming days.