SJS Enterprises Ltd Workers' Union
16 September 2024
Press Release
Public-Listed Company SJS Enterprises Ltd Workers' Union on Strike
✔ Unlawful termination of 192 permanent workers
Bangalore: The Workers' Union of the public-listed company SJS Enterprises Ltd. (543387 | INE284S01014), with a turnover of over Rs 600 crore and around 1,500 employees, have gone on strike at its plant in Bengaluru since 3 September 2024.
According to the SJS Enterprises Trade Union about 192 permanent workers from the company's manufacturing facility at Agra & Kaval village in Kengeri Hobli, Bengaluru South were illegally dismissed on 8 July 2024. These workers have put in upto maximum of 35 years of dedicated service.
The workers on strike revealed that the management has been harassing the workers for many years now. Things took a drastic turn during COVID, with workers' salaries and other benefits being withheld, and ever since treatment meted out to workers went from bad to worse. Also, the workers alleged that they were subjected to continuous mental and physical harassment.
As their genuine and basic interest was getting ignored, the workers formed the trade union - The SJS Enterprises Ltd Workers' Union, to collectively take up their grievances with the company management and got it affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
Angered by these developments, the company management started targeting the office bearers / key members of the SJS Enterprises Ltd Workers' Union and suspended a few of them. Following this the unionised workers started satyagraha and protest fast inside the facility.
Since then, the workers have been continuously protesting outside the factory gate. Even as the protest has been continuing, the management has preferred to take contract workers and sending feelers that the permanent workers are no longer required.
Despite the protest going on for a long time, the management has not bothered to address the grievance nor invited the workers for negotiations.
Officers from the labour department of the State Government have also failed to intervene and address the issue.
The Bengaluru-based SJS Enterprises Ltd, is one of the leading players in the Indian decorative aesthetics industry. Providing design to-delivery aesthetics solutions for the automotive and consumer appliances industries, the company produces automotive graphics, chrome-plated moulded plastics, and logos for decorative needs. Its client list comprises names like TVS Motors, Whirlpool, Samsung, Godrej, Panasonic, Honda Motorcycles and Scooters, Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra.
Institutional investors of SJS Enterprises Ltd include International and
Indian names like Grandeur Peak Global Trust, HSBC Global Investment
Funds, Goldman Sachs Funds, Florida Retirement Systems, and domestic
investors like Axis Mutual Fund, Aditya Birla Sunlife Insurance, Sundaram
Mutual Fund, Franklin India Smaller Companies Fund, Union Bank Small
Con Fund 10101 Deudantial Trononort and I onistine Bund
