Impasse at Toyota continues

The management and employees of Bidadi-based Toyota Kirloskar Motors on Wednesday reached a consensus over wages but no negotiation took place in connection with other disputes.

Sources in the Labour department said the deadlock could not be broken as the management adopted ‘tough posture’ over disciplinary action against agitating workers.
It is likely that talks would continue on Thursday as well.

The meeting between management and employees took place in the presence of Additional Labour Commissioner J T Jinkalappa.

The management agreed to hike salaries by Rs 3,100 for current financial year but refused to pay salary for 25 days of loss of work, which ‘affected’ production.

Toyota Kirloskar Motors declared lockout at its plants in Bidadi on March 16 following failure of talks over wages. The union was demanding wage hike of Rs 4,000 as against Rs 3,050 proposed by the management. The government on Tuesday intervened to help resolve the imbroglio.

Labour Minister Parameshwar Naik held separate talks with management and workers' union at his residence.