Strike at Toyota Kirloskar Motors ends for now

The 36-day strike at Toyota Kirloskar Motors has ended with the Toyota Kirloskar Motor Employees Union and the company management agreeing to comply with the Karnataka government's order to restore normalcy in operations (See; Karnataka government blocks lockout at Toyota car).

The Toyota Kirloskar Motor Employees' Union (TKMEU) said it has unanimously decided to end its relay hunger strike and will report for duty from the first shift on Tuesday.

The state government on Saturday issued an order directing Toyota Kirloskar Motor and the employees' union to restore normalcy in the interest of industrial peace in and around Bangalore.

The government had prohibited the lockout at both Toyota car plants at Bidadi last weekend.

The state government also turned down the company's demand for a guarantee for good conduct from the striking workers.

The union on Monday called a meeting at the main gate of the factory at which it was decided to end the strike and resume work.

R Satish, general secretary of TKMEU said around 3,000 members of the workers union attended the general body meeting.

''The union welcomes the decision to ban the lockout at the factory. Our demands, including a rise for 2013-14, will be adjudicated in court,'' he said.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, ''It is important for the union and the company to comply with and facilitate the execution of the government's order.''

Regarding the suspension of 30 workers, the company said, ''We have a systematic process in place that also involves external parties for fair inquiry.''

Production at Toyota Kirloskar Motor has been affected ever since the union demanded a wage hike of Rs4,000 as against Rs3,050 proposed by the management.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corp of Japan, had on 16 March declared a lockout, after talks between the management and union over wage negotiations failed.

Although the company lifted the lockout on 24 March, employees refused to resume work over issues like signing a good conduct undertaking and the suspension orders issued to 30 members of the workers union.

All relevant issues between the workers and the management have been referred for adjudication. We thank all our stakeholders for their support and understanding during this difficult period,'' Toyota Kirloskar said.