Suzuki Workers Burn Factory, Manager Killed

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Workers at Maruti Suzuki’s factory in Maneshar, India, ransacked and burned the factory, leaving the personnel director dead and many injured, Reuters reports.

The Manesar factory remains closed and secured by a 1,200 man police force, a day after an angry mob “armed with iron rods and door beams of cars, spread out in groups in the factory area and targeted supervisors, managers and executives… rendering many of their victims bleeding and unconscious,” Maruti said in a statement. “They also ransacked offices, broke glass panes and wantonly damaged property. Finally, they set the offices on fire.”

Human resources manager Awanish Kumar Dev was burned to death during the riot, the Japanese manager of the factory was also attacked. Fifty management personnel and 9 police officers were injured during the clashes. 90 people were arrested, with more arrests promised.

After a disciplinary incident involving one employee, “members of the senior management met the union. During the talks, the workers attacked the members of the senior management, executives and managers,” Maruti said in a statement.

Workers and their unions blame security personnel of the company. Indian police are searching for 3,000 people they want to detain, Reuters says.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

More by Bertel Schmitt

Comments
Join the conversation
8 of 26 comments
  • Schmitt trigger Schmitt trigger on Jul 19, 2012

    I don't think that anybody in this thread has enough information to assign blame to either management or the union. If someone has a found a website with additional info, please post the link such that we make educated comments.

    • See 5 previous
    • "scarey" "scarey" on Jul 20, 2012

      @Bertel Schmitt Over and out.

  • Obbop Obbop on Jul 19, 2012

    Caste system to the rescue. Employ the untouchable class as supervisors.

  • Analoggrotto Does anyone seriously listen to this?
  • Thomas Same here....but keep in mind that EVs are already much more efficient than ICE vehicles. They need to catch up in all the other areas you mentioned.
  • Analoggrotto It's great to see TTAC kicking up the best for their #1 corporate sponsor. Keep up the good work guys.
  • John66ny Title about self driving cars, linked podcast about headlight restoration. Some relationship?
  • Jeff JMII--If I did not get my Maverick my next choice was a Santa Cruz. They are different but then they are both compact pickups the only real compact pickups on the market. I am glad to hear that the Santa Cruz will have knobs and buttons on it for 2025 it would be good if they offered a hybrid as well. When I looked at both trucks it was less about brand loyalty and more about price, size, and features. I have owned 2 gm made trucks in the past and liked both but gm does not make a true compact truck and neither does Ram, Toyota, or Nissan. The Maverick was the only Ford product that I wanted. If I wanted a larger truck I would have kept either my 99 S-10 extended cab with a 2.2 I-4 5 speed or my 08 Isuzu I-370 4 x 4 with the 3.7 I-5, tow package, heated leather seats, and other niceties and it road like a luxury vehicle. I believe the demand is there for other manufacturers to make compact pickups. The proposed hybrid Toyota Stout would be a great truck. Subaru has experience making small trucks and they could make a very competitive compact truck and Subaru has a great all wheel drive system. Chevy has a great compact pickup offered in South America called the Montana which gm could make in North America and offered in the US and Canada. Ram has a great little compact truck offered in South America as well. Compact trucks are a great vehicle for those who want an open bed for hauling but what a smaller more affordable efficient practical vehicle.
Next