Blog

MARUTI SUZUKI WORKERS UNION

(Registration No. 1923)

IMT Manesar, Gurgaon

Ref. No… IN23/1/2014                                                                  Date…23/1/2014

  9^th day of MSWU’s Jan Jagaran Yatra

‘जुल्मी कब तक जुल्म करेगा शोषण़ के हथियारों से, हम भी उसको ध्वस्त करेंगे एकताबद्ध कतारों से।’

 

Rohtak (Haryana). The foot-march against injustice Jan Jagaran Yatra through villages and towns across Haryana reached Rohtak and organized a protest demonstration starting from Rohtak Bus Stand in the morning today 23^rd January 2014. We marched through the city and demonstrated before the District Administration Office in Rohtak, and joined the program of striking workers of electricity and water board, Roadways, primary teachers, computer instructors, Anganwadi and Asha workers and many others in Mansarover Park, before starting off again on our way towards Delhi. The sense of solidarity among workers enthused and strengthened us.

 

Rajpal of Provisional Committee, MSWU addressed the gathering of thousands of workers here and explained why Maruti workers are on the path of struggle for more than 2 years, and reiterated the demand of release of all arrested workers and end to goonda rule by the state government. Senior Advocate R.S. Hooda also came to speak in solidarity and exposed the pro-capitalist rulings of the judiciary of the country, saying that denying bail to 148 workers in jail for the last 18 months, and paying a lawyer Rs.11.25lakh on each appearance on public money to file cases against workers on behest of Mr. Suzuki’s empire while 2500 families are living jobless and under continuous harassment and in penury, the state government and judiciary show their true colours.

 

We submitted a memorandum to the Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda through the DC Rohtak, demanding the release of arrested 148 workers who have still not got bail for the last 18 months, and reinstatement of 2300 terminated workers. Other than MSWU, organizers and people from various mass democratic organisations like Jan Sangharsh Manch, Inquilabi Mazdoor Kendra, Krantikari Naujawan Sabha, Chattisgarh Mukti Morcha- Mazdoor Karyakarta Committee, Samtamulak Mahila Sangathan, CITU Haryana, Khet Mazdoor Union, Sarva Karamchari Sangh, Electricity Board Employees Union, Haryana Roadways employees union, SFI, DYFI, Chatra Ekta Manch- Rohtak, Revolutionary Cultural Front-Delhi and many others came in support.

 

We started on 15^th January from Kaithal and are entering Jhajjar having crossed Jind and Rohtak. We shall reach Digal in Jhajjar at night. We shall start from there tomorrow and walk through Chamanpur, Gudda and Dadri Toi from 24^th to 26^th and reach Gurgaon on 28^th where workers and trade unions will join us. On 29^th Jan, we shall go on to Delhi where student-youth organisations and JNUSU is organizing a program at JNU in solidarity with our
Padayatra, and on 30^th Jan, we shall march through Delhi. This will culminate on 31^st Jan 2014 in a day-long protest demonstration in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. We appeal to all workers, trade unions, student-youth and women’s organisations, and mass and democratic organizations to join us, and spread the struggle.

 

Inquilab Zindabad!

 

 

(Ramniwas, Mahabir, Rajpal, Katar, Yogesh)

Provisional Working Committee

Maruti Suzuki Workers Union

 

Contact: 08901127876, 9560564754, 9466167876, marutiworkerstruggle@gmail.com

 

 

1) Honduras and the dirty war fuelled by the west’s drive for clean energy 2) World Bank’s ethics under scrutiny after Honduras loan investigation 3) Beyond Reform: It’s Time To Shut Down The World Bank 1 http://www.theguardian.com/global/2014/jan/07/honduras-dirty-war-clean-energy-palm-oil-biofuels Honduras and the dirty war fuelled by the west’s drive for clean energy Nina Lakhani The west’s drive […]

Phoenix, AZ – Governor Jan Brewer delivered her business-as-usual State of the State address here on Jan. 13. Outside the capitol building, a crowd of nearly 100 students and community activists protested the “State of Hate” created by Arizona Republicans. Led by Citizens for a Better Arizona, a coalition of groups rallied, including Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) of Tucson.

The demonstration countered Governor Brewer’s right-wing agenda. The people’s rally held the Governor accountable for the neglect of over 6000 uninvestigated Child Protective Services abuse cases, protested the bigoted lawsuit of Attorney General Tom Horne against in-state tuition for undocumented students at Maricopa Community College, and called for an end to Governor Brewer’s ban on access to driver’s licenses for undocumented students – the Dreamers.

Students carried signs such as “Let Dreamers learn – education is a right!” SDS of Tucson challenged Attorney General Tom Horne’s threats of lawsuits against Arizona community colleges that offer tuition equity. Currently, undocumented students who grow up in Arizona and attend high school there are required to pay out-of-state tuition. This forces many to drop out and take low-paying jobs.

Ed Tolentino explained, “Tucson SDS really prepared to be a part of this action because of our commitment to equal access to education as a human right. The struggle for tuition equity is above all a struggle for equal educational opportunity for both documented and undocumented students, who, regardless of citizenship status, are humans. We hope to take this first action in demanding tuition equity in the direction of a larger student movement in which SDS can play an important role in fighting for equality on and off campus.”

Leaders held high an “Arizona GOP hate-meter”, detailing the Republican policies and Arizona laws that target Chicanos, Mexicanos, American Indians and others for repression. Arizona Republicans passed the infamous law known as SB-1070 that forced police to racially profile people based on “reasonable suspicion”. While the courts struck down most of SB-1070, the idea that some people and not others are “suspicious of looking illegal” was upheld. There is also the racist Sheriff Arpaio and his policy of raiding undocumented families in order to meet quotas for deportation and for-profit detention centers. Republicans continue to deny driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, despite the fact it harms everyone who drives or has auto insurance. In Arizona, national oppression of Chicanos is a major part of the Republican agenda.

After speeches, protesters burned driver’s licenses in solidarity with undocumented immigrants. Other protesters blocked the entrances and exits of the capitol, before deciding to pay a visit the governor’s office at the neighboring executive office building. Police attempted to deny access to Governor Brewer’s office, so a tense standoff developed. After a sharp verbal exchange, demonstrators surged passed the police to the elevators and rode up to the executive floor. State police were preparing to arrest them on the eighth floor, but protesters cleverly refused to exit the elevators and threw their stuffed animals – representing Arizona’s neglect of children and their education – at the feet of the arresting officers. The chants of “Stop the hate!” echoed through the capitol. State police, under the careful watch of Governor Brewer’s aides, took Elmo and his other furry friends into custody.

Tolentino, an organizer of the action said, “This protest proves the power of community and campus organizing. We hope that in the coming months an awakened Arizona rises to challenge the Republicans’ vicious attacks on the justice and dignity of its people.”

Organizers are claiming a victory in the wake of their protest. Governor Brewer announced in her speech that she was moving Child Protective Services out from under the authority of Department of Economic Security and giving it a stand-alone cabinet level position. The struggle for licenses and preserving tuition equity continues.

 

Phoenix, AZ – Governor Jan Brewer delivered her business-as-usual State of the State address here on Jan. 13. Outside the capitol building, a crowd of nearly 100 students and community activists protested the “State of Hate” created by Arizona Republicans. Led by Citizens for a Better Arizona, a coalition of groups rallied, including Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) of Tucson.

The demonstration countered Governor Brewer’s right-wing agenda. The people’s rally held the Governor accountable for the neglect of over 6000 uninvestigated Child Protective Services abuse cases, protested the bigoted lawsuit of Attorney General Tom Horne against in-state tuition for undocumented students at Maricopa Community College, and called for an end to Governor Brewer’s ban on access to driver’s licenses for undocumented students – the Dreamers.

Students carried signs such as “Let Dreamers learn – education is a right!” SDS of Tucson challenged Attorney General Tom Horne’s threats of lawsuits against Arizona community colleges that offer tuition equity. Currently, undocumented students who grow up in Arizona and attend high school there are required to pay out-of-state tuition. This forces many to drop out and take low-paying jobs.

Ed Tolentino explained, “Tucson SDS really prepared to be a part of this action because of our commitment to equal access to education as a human right. The struggle for tuition equity is above all a struggle for equal educational opportunity for both documented and undocumented students, who, regardless of citizenship status, are humans. We hope to take this first action in demanding tuition equity in the direction of a larger student movement in which SDS can play an important role in fighting for equality on and off campus.”

Leaders held high an “Arizona GOP hate-meter”, detailing the Republican policies and Arizona laws that target Chicanos, Mexicanos, American Indians and others for repression. Arizona Republicans passed the infamous law known as SB-1070 that forced police to racially profile people based on “reasonable suspicion”. While the courts struck down most of SB-1070, the idea that some people and not others are “suspicious of looking illegal” was upheld. There is also the racist Sheriff Arpaio and his policy of raiding undocumented families in order to meet quotas for deportation and for-profit detention centers. Republicans continue to deny driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, despite the fact it harms everyone who drives or has auto insurance. In Arizona, national oppression of Chicanos is a major part of the Republican agenda.

After speeches, protesters burned driver’s licenses in solidarity with undocumented immigrants. Other protesters blocked the entrances and exits of the capitol, before deciding to pay a visit the governor’s office at the neighboring executive office building. Police attempted to deny access to Governor Brewer’s office, so a tense standoff developed. After a sharp verbal exchange, demonstrators surged passed the police to the elevators and rode up to the executive floor. State police were preparing to arrest them on the eighth floor, but protesters cleverly refused to exit the elevators and threw their stuffed animals – representing Arizona’s neglect of children and their education – at the feet of the arresting officers. The chants of “Stop the hate!” echoed through the capitol. State police, under the careful watch of Governor Brewer’s aides, took Elmo and his other furry friends into custody.

Tolentino, an organizer of the action said, “This protest proves the power of community and campus organizing. We hope that in the coming months an awakened Arizona rises to challenge the Republicans’ vicious attacks on the justice and dignity of its people.”

Organizers are claiming a victory in the wake of their protest. Governor Brewer announced in her speech that she was moving Child Protective Services out from under the authority of Department of Economic Security and giving it a stand-alone cabinet level position. The struggle for licenses and preserving tuition equity continues.

 

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