NEW DELHI: The labour unrest at
General Motors India's Halol plant in Gujarat completed one month today with no
sign of respite, while the car maker is estimated to have suffered a production
loss of about 1,500 units so far.
Talks between the management and
workers on strike have so far failed to yield any result and even the threat to
terminate jobs have not made the nearly 200 agitating employees return to duty.
"We will continue to cooperate with all authorities and work closely
with our employees and their union bargaining representatives to find a
resolution," General Motors India Vice President P Balendran told PTI.
He, however, did not share any further details saying that the company
supported lawful and constructive resolution of any concerns.
Meanwhile,
worker sources belonging to non-striking group said about 200 employees have not
joined duty so far and conducted a sit-in "dharna" in Vadodara yesterday.
"The production has improved over the last few days, but it has not
reached full capacity level yet. The company has so far lost production of about
1,500 units," a worker said. On March 16, a section of workers had resorted to strike at the Halol facility,
which has an installed capacity of 85,000 units a year, protesting transfer of
some employees to dealership outlets and opposing a long-term wage settlement
agreement signed in December last year.
The plant has one registered
workers body, GM Employees' Union. The company claims that a new union, formed
under the aegis of Congress-backed Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC),
has been spearheading the agitation.
The state government had earlier
declared the strike illegal and imposed Section 144 of IPC near the plant
location to prevent any possible gathering of agitators.
Sources had
earlier said that the company suspended four labourers for allegedly beating a
senior engineer inside the factory premises.
Earlier, the company had
given an ultimatum to about 250 striking workers threatening termination of
services unless they returned to duty by March 25. However, as the deadline did
not fructify in bringing them back to duty, the company had initiated the
process to take disciplinary actions against them.
"Our Halol plant is
an outstanding workplace for hundreds of employees. It has an impressive history
of employee safety and has won many safety and other awards, including several
in 2010. We respect and follow the law and comply with all rules pertaining to
health, safety, working conditions and employment," Balendran said.
General Motors India's Halol plant in Gujarat completed one month today with no
sign of respite, while the car maker is estimated to have suffered a production
loss of about 1,500 units so far.
Talks between the management and
workers on strike have so far failed to yield any result and even the threat to
terminate jobs have not made the nearly 200 agitating employees return to duty.
"We will continue to cooperate with all authorities and work closely
with our employees and their union bargaining representatives to find a
resolution," General Motors India Vice President P Balendran told PTI.
He, however, did not share any further details saying that the company
supported lawful and constructive resolution of any concerns.
Meanwhile,
worker sources belonging to non-striking group said about 200 employees have not
joined duty so far and conducted a sit-in "dharna" in Vadodara yesterday.
"The production has improved over the last few days, but it has not
reached full capacity level yet. The company has so far lost production of about
1,500 units," a worker said. On March 16, a section of workers had resorted to strike at the Halol facility,
which has an installed capacity of 85,000 units a year, protesting transfer of
some employees to dealership outlets and opposing a long-term wage settlement
agreement signed in December last year.
The plant has one registered
workers body, GM Employees' Union. The company claims that a new union, formed
under the aegis of Congress-backed Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC),
has been spearheading the agitation.
The state government had earlier
declared the strike illegal and imposed Section 144 of IPC near the plant
location to prevent any possible gathering of agitators.
Sources had
earlier said that the company suspended four labourers for allegedly beating a
senior engineer inside the factory premises.
Earlier, the company had
given an ultimatum to about 250 striking workers threatening termination of
services unless they returned to duty by March 25. However, as the deadline did
not fructify in bringing them back to duty, the company had initiated the
process to take disciplinary actions against them.
"Our Halol plant is
an outstanding workplace for hundreds of employees. It has an impressive history
of employee safety and has won many safety and other awards, including several
in 2010. We respect and follow the law and comply with all rules pertaining to
health, safety, working conditions and employment," Balendran said.
BY ANIMA SINHA
PGDM - 2sem
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