TKM staff say management forcing them to sign undertaking

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Employees’ Union on Monday maintained that TKM management, that had declared lockout of its two plants at Bidadi near here, is pressuring them to sign an undertaking and only after which the regular employees would be allowed to work.

Union President Prasanna Kumar C S said: “We are not ready to sign the undertaking as it is not required and we are ready to work from March 25 if the management does not force us to sign the undertaking. We want the lockout to be lifted unconditionally.”

The lockout of two plants at Bidadi was declared on March 16 and subsequently around 30 employees were suspended without proper charge sheet on March 18. Presently, the TKM’s two plants have around 4,200 regular employees and 1,500 contract workers.

 Due to ongoing lockout, semi-skilled contractors, supervisors and apprentices are being deployed for the production work. 

“We have sent memorandums to Labour Commissioner’s office urging them to intervene in cancelling the suspension of 30 employees and lifting the lockout. But there is no response,” he added.