Workers at Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) Pvt. Ltd’s two plants at Bidadi near Bangalore refused to enter the factory, after refusing to sign an undertaking of ‘good conduct’ that was demanded by company managers. This was despite the lifting of a week-long lockout during the weekend after a successful intervention by the State Labour Minister and the Labour Department.
Prasanna Kumar C., President, TKM Employee Union, told The Hindu that the demand that workers give an undertaking of good conduct was “in bad faith in bad taste.” Mr. Kumar also said the continued suspension of 17 workers was “a severe impediment to a meaningful agreement.” He said workers, who were supposed to enter the factory at 6 AM for the first shift, refused to do so because they were asked to sign the undertaking.
The company announced the lockout after negotiations over the annual wage, which was pending for over a year, remained unresolved. While the company was willing to offer a minimum hike of Rs. 3,050 per month per worker, the union was demanding at least Rs. 4,000 per worker, the same quantum that they received a year ago.
