Evolving Employment Dynamics and Changing Work Patterns in the Manufacturing Sector: A Study of Maruti Suzuki Case

This paper tries to understand the change in work patterns and employment conditions in Maruti Suzuki Manesar plant since 2012. The attempt is to understand its impact on contractual and permanent workers of the plant. The Indian manufacturing sector in general and the automotive sector in particular, has experienced a significant shift in the patterns of work and the dynamics of employment are constantly evolving. This paper tries to make sense of this change by looking at the 2012 incident in the Manesar plant and the subsequent changes as a response to the incident to see if in some ways it has paved the way for larger changes in the employment structure at the plant. This paper highlights the increasing divide between the permanent and temporary workers, and the increasing contractualization of work in the organised sector. These changing work structures and flexible work arrangements not only have a financial impact in the lives of the workers but also have a significant bearing in their larger career development as well as their mental well-being. The findings of this paper suggest that the employment environment has evolved significantly and is marked by a growing inequality between the permanent and contractual employees, the further sub-categorisation within the category of contractual employees has led to increased precarity.