Toyota to lift lock-out only after normalcy is restored

No impact of lock-out on car sales, says the company

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Wednesday said it would lift the lock-out at its car manufacturing factory at Bidadi only after normalcy is restored.

The lock-out was enforced after the repeated attempts made by the company, Labour Department and the local administration to convince workers' union to call off their strike failed, the company told DH.

"We have once again appealed to the Union to cooperate in restoring normalcy so that operations can be restarted," Raju Ketkale, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said.

He said the current lock-out of the factory will not have any impact on the customers and stakeholders. "We have prioritised the customer orders and we will plan to meet the customer demand by channelising the resources as soon as possible," Ketkale said.

The company is trying to service customer demand from vehicles in stock, both at dealerships and at the factory. It has prioritised the customer orders and plan to meet the customer demand as soon as possible, he said.

Around 1,200 workers under the TKM Employees Union banner staged a flash sit-in strike on Monday following the suspension of one of its members. The company had suspended the employee for his ‘unruly’ behaviour.

"We have appealed to the employees and will continue our dialogue with the members of the Union so as to restore normalcy at the earliest possible," Ketkale said.

The company is also exploring all lawfully viable options, including discussions with the labour department to resolve the issue, he added.

Despite repeated attempts, the TKM Employees Union did not comment on the development.