Renault Nissan urges workers to join its committee, not ‘outside body’

Automobile manufacturer Renault Nissan Automotive India has urged workers to join a workers committee to represent them rather than an outside body.

In a notice to workers at the factory in Oragadam, near Chennai, the car manufacturer said the RNWC (Renault Nissan Workers Committee) is best suited to represent the workers. The management will not take responsibility of dealing with an outside body, it said.

With the factory in the fifth year of operations, the RNWC is the recognised body created with the permission of the workers to handle wage negotiations and bonus issues, the notice said.

However, the United Labour Federation, a registered Trade Union founded in 1999, says it has formed a ULF Branch of Renault Nissan Workers, Oragadam, representing a majority of the workers. The independent union has a membership of over 2,500 workers out of the 3,150 permanent employees at the unit, according to V Prakash, founder of the Federation.

The ULF Union has asked it to deduct membership fees from the wages. The management has ignored the majority union, he said. Prakash said the union is independent with office bearers from among the permanent employees. His role is that of an advisor.

Renault Nissan factory also employs over 2,000 trainees and 4,000 workers on contract. Recent news reports indicate that the company is in the process of cutting back on workforce in the backdrop of a slow demand. A company spokesperson said the RNWC has been around for a few years and is an internal body.

On the ULF issue, the spokesperson said more details were needed before the company could react.

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