Government said that demanding good conduct bond from workers by Maruti Suzuki India management during the recent labour unrest at its Manesar plant was an "arbitrary act" and amounted to "unfair labour practice".

Mr Mallikarjun Kharge labour and employment minister said that "Demanding of good conduct bonds from workers as per conditions before allowing them to resume work is an arbitrary act and it also amounts to unfair labour practice as given in the Industrial Disputes Act 1947.”

The minister stated this in a written reply in Lok Sabha to a question by Gurudas Dasgupta of CPI and Gopinath Munde of BJP on whether there has been violation of labour laws by various multinationals, including Maruti by demanding such bonds.

Mr Kharge said that “Haryana Government had reported that management of Manesar plant had imposed a condition of submitting good conduct bond by workers for entering the unit as there was reported widespread indiscipline by workers and acts of sabotage and production of defective vehicles."

The good conduct bond required the workers to declare they would "not resort to go slow, intermittent stoppage of work, stay in strike, work-to-rule, sabotage or otherwise indulge in any activity, which would hamper normal production in the factory".

Reaction from Maruti Suzuki on the Minister's reply was not immediately available.

(Sourced from ET)