Ola and Uber drivers protest against discriminatory pricing and regulation
4 January 2018: 30,000 Ola and Uber drivers in Chennai struck work on 3 January 2018 against ‘unfair employment practices’ by the cab aggregators as well as the state regulations that curtail their work. The striking workers challenged that there is frequent changes in fare rates, lack of transparency in fares and flawed incentive mechanisms along with high percentage of deductions. The drivers claimed that aggregators were paying drivers only Rs 6.50/km for their rides, much lower than the state regulated Rs.12/km. The drivers demanded that the government should fix standard fares for call-taxis in Chennai along with incentive schemes and revise permit rules.
Contract Workers sign wage agreement at Lafarge Holcim subsidiary in Maharashtra
26 January 2018: The Chanda Cement Works Employees Union (CCWEU) at the Chandrapur, plant of Lafarge Holcim Acc Ltd., Maharashtra has signed a 3 year wage agreement covering 1100 contract workers on 21 January 2018 with effect from 1 April 2017. The agreement also mandate that contractors would pay 50% of the premium liabilities of contract workers towards government sponsored social security schemes and in case the contractor is changed during the period of the agreement, the provisions of the settlement would have to be implemented by the new contractor.
The Union had submitted its charter of demands in April, 2017.
Automobile workers in Pune, Maharashtra go on hunger strike as management refuses dialogue
12 January 2018: Workers of Bajaj Auto Limited and Volkswagon India have gone on hunger strike as their respective managements have refused to come to the negotiation table.
11 workers of the Volkswagon India Limited, the Indian subsidiary of German Automobile giant went on hunger strike on 12 January 2018 as the current round of wage negotiations which started in 2016 remain inconclusive. Workers have been opposing Volkswagon’s move to restructure salaries to include a 20% performance based wage component which would lead to a significant wage decrease for many workers.
Workers at the Chakan and Akurdi plant of Bajaj Auto Limited went on indefinite hunger strike on 29 January 2018 demanding reinstatement of six workers who have been dismissed on disciplinary grounds and delay in conclusion of the wage review process which is due with effect from 1 April 2016.
