Toyota India lockout lifted, but workers refuse to work

The management of Toyota Kirloskar Motor has ended the lockout at the company's two manufacturing facilities at Bidadi, near Bangalore, Karnataka. The company has asked its workers to return to work after signing an undertaking on good conduct. The workers, however, have refused to sign the undertaking.

About 500 workers showed up outside the plants to work in the 6.00 am shift this morning. However, none of them entered the plants. The undertaking of good conduct is seen as being against the workers' interests and welfare by the union. The union has also asked to reinstate the 17 workers, who were suspended over misconduct and indiscipline.

The Toyota Kirloskar Motor management had announced the lockout on March 16 following failure of talks between the management and labour union over wage negotiations. The company claimed that that a section of workers, instigated by the union had deliberately stopped the production line and threatened supervisors, which has resulted in disruption of the manufacturing process, forcing it to declare a lockout to ensure the safety of its employees. Production at the plants was expected to commence after the company issued a statement saying that it would lift the lockout on March 24, 2014.

Toyota's twin plants are spread over 432 acres of land and have a total installed capacity of 3,10,000 units per annum. The company has employed more than 6,400  people at the plants.

Source: Economic Times