Talks to resolve Toyota tussle resume on Tuesday

Talks aimed at resolving the nearly-month-long tussle between the workforce and management of the Toyota plants will resume here on Tuesday.

Considerable hopes rest on the meeting as the two sides, after the weekend break and in the presence of a senior official of Labour Department, get down to iron out their differences. If that happens it could mean a lot to the two Toyota plants at Bidadi, a suburb of Bangalore, as since March 16 these have seen a lockout and labour protests, including hunger strikes.

Government officials engaged in the conciliation process exude confidence that an agreement is likely on Tuesday. Several marathon meetings, an official explained, have been held on many days and at every stage some progress was achieved. He, however, agreed the contentious issue that remained was suspension of 30 employees besides the management insisting on the workers signing a good conduct undertaking.

In response to queries from

The Hindu , the company preferred to refrain from commenting on the drop in production, but was carrying out limited plant operations with the help of supervisory staff. On change in its position with regard to the workers, it said: “We are currently in talks with the Labour Department. We are hopeful of an early solution.”

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) Employee Union president Prasanna Kumar.C. told The Hindu that there was no change in the stance of the workforce.

The union is demanding that the company revoke the suspension and not insist on the undertaking.