Strike at Tata Motors’ Sanand plant ends

The nearly one-month-old strike at Tata Motors's plant at Sanand, in Gujarat ended on Tuesday with the management and workers' union reaching an agreement on various contentious issues.

The management and the workers' representatives also agreed on the issue of suspension of 26 workers, pending enquiry.

The decision was taken after a marathon meeting between the workers' representatives, top management of Tata Motors and the state labour department officials.

Tata Motors stated that the management has agreed to revoke the suspension of 13 out of 26 workers and take decision about the rest following completion of an ongoing enquiry.

Decision regarding another two suspended workers will be taken after they reply to the company's second show-cause notice, it stated.

"Workmen will call off the strike and resume duty from 23 March and restore normalcy and operate as per productivity, quality, discipline and safety requirements of the plant," the company stated.

"Tata Motors, without setting a precedence, will revoke suspension of 13 of the workmen while continuing their enquiry. Suspension pending enquiry of rest of 13 workmen will continue till the decision is taken on completion of enquiries," it further said.

Company said the enquiries initiated regarding all 26 workers will be completed within the "reasonable time line" of 4-6 months, following which the workers' union will submit "a reasonable charter of demand".

Meanwhile, Tata Motors and the state administration have officially recognised the worker union which has been registered under the name 'Bharatiya Kamdar Ekta Sangh, Sanand.'

"The Union of our workmen will submit a reasonable charter of demand after completion of disciplinary process ie of enquiries of suspended workmen," Tata Motors said in the statement.

It has also been decided that workmen will call off the strike and resume duty from 23 March on regular shifts and that the union will cooperate in all court proceedings in this matter.