Hero MotoCorp calls in cops as fresh labour trouble brews in Gurgaon

Production came to a halt at Hero MotoCorp's Gurgaon plant on Tuesday and the local police had to be called in as workers went on a strike demanding the re-instatement of four of their colleagues who are under suspension since September last year.

Two of these workers, Bhim Rao and Kanwalpreet Singh, are former leaders of the Hero MotoCorp Workers' Union (HMCWU).

The plant may however resume production soon as tri-partite talks were held with the Gurgaon assistant labour commissioner and the union leaders on the same evening.

The Gurgaon factory, one of Hero's four plants in the country, produces about 7,000 units a day of models like Pleasure and Maestro scooters and motorbikes Passion, Extreme, ZMR, Karizma, Ignitor and Hunk.

The strike called by HMCWU, an affiliate of the Hind Mazdoor Sangh (HMS), is in coordination with a larger strike called by HMS in the Gurgaon-Manesar industrial belt because of labour problems at medical products maker Baxter's Manesar plant.

''The Gurgaon plant has been closed since Tuesday afternoon, and both A and B shifts are not working. However, we could re-start work on Wednesday because the labour department officials have assured us of a solution to our problems. We want our four colleagues to join back immediately and the charges dropped,'' an HMCWU office bearer said.

Tuesday saw even more trouble at Hero's Gurgaon facility, as about 400 casual workers at the adjoining Parts Distribution Centre (PDC) protested against their shift to a new facility in Neemrana.