Take a leaf out of Apple’s book, Kumaraswamy tells Toyota

Blaming a few managerial personnel for the continued protests at Toyota Kirloskar plant at Bidadi, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy urged the government to resolve the imbroglio on a priority basis.

Noting Apple’s response of acknowledging managerial lapses for the violence at Wistron plant at Kolar, the former CM urged Toyota to introspect in the wake of the stand by Apple.

Noting that protests are being held from the past two months, he said that there was a dire need to end the impasse in the interest of state’s industrial development. Accusing the company of pushing its 3,000 workers into the street, he advised the heads of the company to set aside their prestige and act in a
humane way.

It is clear that “the managers who stand in between the management and the workers are trying to create confusion as well as problems. It is important to note that these managerial personnel are not from either this region or the state, he said, noting that Apple company has acknowledged that managerial lapses were responsible for the violence at the Wistron’s Kolar plant.

“The Toyota company too should conduct an introspection in the wake of the stand taken by Apple,” the former CM said. The government should ensure direct communication between the staff and the heads of the company by bringing them to the negotiating table. The government should behave like a communication bridge, he added.

Workers’ plight

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah also wrote to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday to ensure that the dispute at the Bidadi unit is resolved.

In his letter, the Congress leader noted that a firm named Arvind Fashions had shut shop at Ramanagara citing dip in international demand for readymade clothes.

Employees who had served the company for over 12 years are left high and dry, Siddaramaiah said, adding that company had not even paid its dues to labourers before shutting
shop.

“Neither the government, nor ministers or the labour department is responding to their plight,” he said in the letter.