The lockout at two plants of Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of leading global auto major Toyota Motor Corporation, continued on Tuesday after efforts made by Minister of State for Labour P. T. Parameshwara Naik failed to end the impasse.
Mr. Naik held separate meetings with company officials and representatives of the Toyota Kirloskar Motor Employees’ Union (TKMEU), and directed officials of the Labour Department to find a solution to the wage dispute that had been festering for over a year, resulting in lockout.
R. Satish, TKMEU general secretary, told The Hindu that although the two sides were engaged in an effort to end the deadlock, the company had used around 800 contract workers and management staff to operate the plant at Bidadi on Tuesday. “Although we complained about this to the Minister, the Labour Department did nothing to stop the management from operating the plant during the lockout.”
A statement issued by TKM stated that a team of company officials met the Minister ‘to brief him’ on the reasons for the lockout. Company officials are due to meet the Deputy Labour Commissioner on Wednesday, it said.
“We are prepared to discuss our charter of demands with the management after the lockout is lifted,” Mr. Satish said. Further discussions on the dispute could continue even as workers resumed operations, he added. While workers are demanding a hike, of Rs. 4,000 a month, the management is not willing to go over Rs. 3,050.
