Abstract: The case study focuses on the HR problems faced by Honda Motor Cycle & Scooters India (HMSI). The case discusses the various reasons which led to the dispute between the management and employees of HMSI. It elaborates the incidents, which led to the strike at the company that resulted in HMSI workers being severely beaten up by the police. Labour strife and the management's inability to deal with it effectively had resulted in huge losses for the company due to the fall in the production level at the plant. In addition to this, the company also received a lot of negative publicity as newspapers and TV channels gave wide coverage to the violence of the action. The case highlights the growing number of instances of clashes between the employees and the management of companies in India, which is often guided by external parties such as trade unions and political parties. Issues: » Understand the factors that lead to labour unrest at a factory and the impact of such incidents on the employees and the company.

» Study HR policies adopted by organizations to prevent labour unrest at the workplace.

» Examine top management's role in maintaining a peaceful working environment.

» Analyse the role of external parties such as trade unions; political parties etc., in disturbing the working environment in a company Key Words: Labour unrest, Strike, Collective bargaining, Industrial relations, Industrial dispute, labour laws, Japanese management, Go-slow, Lock-out, Labour relations, Trade union, Root cause analysis, Fair wages, Workers' compensation, Honda

Introduction On July 25, 2005, the management of the Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (Private) Limited, (HMSI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda Motor Company Limited (HMCL), encountered violent protests from workers that disrupted production at their plant in Gurgaon.

HMSI workers were severely beaten up by the police, and newspapers and TV channels gave wide coverage to the violence of the action. The protest followed six months of simmering labour unrest at the HMSI factory in which the workers also resorted to job slow down (since December 2004 when the workers' demand for an increase in wages was rejected by the HMSI management).

With their demands being rejected by the management, the workers tried to form a trade union and this resulted in a confrontation with the management. Fifty workers of the production team were suspended and four others dismissed in May 2005. Apparently there was a show of strength between the management and the workers.

While the management alleged that the workers were resorting to 'go-slow' tactics and were threatening not to return to work until their colleagues had been reinstated, the workers alleged that the management was using pressure tactics such as victimization of active union members and a 'lock-out' to break the back of the union. On July 25, 2005, the workers of the plant were demanding reinstatement of the suspended employees when some workers allegedly attacked policemen on the plant premises. This led to police intervention and a violent tussle ensued between the police and the workers in which workers protesting peacefully were also beaten up.

The police were reported to have overreacted and it was alleged that they had been overzealous in protecting the interests of the HMSI management, even without any direct request from the company's management

For companies, the incident brought to the fore the need to maintain sound industrial relations to ensure productive and profitable operations.

Background Note HMCL

Soichiro Honda, a mechanical engineer, established the 'Honda Technical Research Institute' in Hamamatsu, Japan, in 1946. His idea was to develop and later produce small two-cycle motorbike engines.

Honda's first product, an A-type 50cc bicycle engine, was produced in 1947. In 1948, HMCL was incorporated with a capital of ¥ 1 million. Thereafter, the company started to design and produce lightweight motorcycles. Honda's first motorcycle, the D-type two-stroke 98cc, was produced in 1949... HMSI HMSI was established on August 20, 1999, and a plant was set up at Manesar to manufacture twowheelers for the Indian market. HMCL made an initial investment of Rs. 3 billion to establish the plant which had an annual production capacity of 200,000...

Labor Unrest at HMSI The Gurgaon plant of HMSI had peaceful labour relations for the first few years after it was set up in October 1999.

The management entered into labour contracts with individual labourers, which covered the basic wage structure and detailed parameters specifying the work conditions for workers. In December 2004, the workers at HMSI's Gurgaon plant started demanding that the management increase their wages commensurate with the company's growth in the market... The Blame Game The management and the workers traded allegations and counter allegations on what the root cause of the dispute was. They blamed each other for the situation that ultimately took an ugly turn on July 25, 2005. The management held the workers responsible for indiscipline and for slowing

down production, while the workers insisted that there had been no indiscipline on their part and that the management was bringing up this issue only to prevent the formation of a trade union at HMSI... Violation of Laws? Some analysts charged that the incident was fallout of the long-term oppression and malpractices at the Gurgaon factory by the HMSI management.

They alleged that HMSI's management had violated certain laws relating to the welfare of workers (Refer to Exhibit III for laws related to welfare of workers in India).

It was reported that a worker had allegedly been kicked by a Japanese manager on the shop floor in December 2004. The services of four other workers who had come to his rescue were allegedly terminated... The Aftermath HMSI was established on August 20, 1999, and a plant was set up at Manesar to manufacture twowheelers for the Indian market. HMCL made an initial investment of Rs. 3 billion to establish the plant which had an annual production capacity of 200,000... Could this Ugly Situation have been Averted? Several factors can lead to a conflict between the workers and the management of any company, and as such, companies should be prepared to trace the root cause of the problem and solve it. Industry experts opined that with proper understanding of the industrial laws and causes of disputes, the management and the workers of any company could avoid incidents such as the one at HMSI (Refer to Exhibit IV for the Root Cause Analysis for Labor Unrest)...