Nestlé India obtains permanent ban on workers’ freedom of assembly

In January of this year, the management of Nestlé India filed injunctions simultaneously in four courts in three states seeking a permanent ban on all union meetings, gatherings and rallies within 200 metres of its factories in Moga, Samalkha, Ponda Goa and Bicholim. These are the four Nestlé factories in India that are unionized, with 1,350 members represented by the IUF-affiliated Federation of All India Nestlé Employees.

Repeating similar struggles in Russia and Indonesia, the Federation of All India Nestlé Employees is demanding the right to negotiate wages. Annual wage increases are unilaterally handed down by management every year and in recent years the amount has been far less than the rate of inflation, resulting in falling real wages. In particular, dramatic food price inflation over the past two years has undercut workers’ earnings in the world’s largest food company. Even though Nestlé India raised its own product prices by 15% last year, management ignored union demands to raise wages in line with inflation.

Source: IUF website, 16 March 2009