Tata Motor’ Sanand plant workers go on flash strike

Around 300 workers at Tata Motors’ plant here have gone on flash strike to press for reinstatement of around 20 of their colleagues who have been suspended for ‘serious misconduct’. The Sanand plant, which has an annual production capacity of 2 lakh units, currently rolls out compact hatchback Nano. The auto maker will also roll out its upcoming small car Tiago, earlier named as Zica, from the same plant.

When contacted, a Tata Motors spokesperson said, “Around 300 workmen of Tata Motors, Sanand plant, have gone on an illegal flash sit-in strike on February 22 demanding re-instatement of the workmen suspended (pending enquiry) for serious misconduct.”

“While the management team is continuing to make efforts to talk to the workmen on strike and convince them to restore normalcy, plant operations are simultaneously continuing,” the spokesperson said.

The company said that there had been continued agitations for monetary increases as well as protests against disciplinary actions against those instigating the workmen, resulting in serious threat to company personnel as well as losses due to tampering. “Viewed as attempts to coerce the management, around 20 workmen have been suspended on various charges of serious misconduct,” the spokesperson said. The company said it will not tolerate any indiscipline and coercive methods to “pressurise for unreasonable demands”.

Labour issues at the Sanand facility have surfaced at a time when a lockout continues at one of its subsidiaries -- Tata Marcopolo Motors plant in Dharwad, Karnataka, following strike by workmen over wage negotiations.

The Tata Marcopolo plant in Dharwad employs over 2,500 people and has the capacity to manufacture over 15,000 buses per annum. The plant rolls out fully-built buses for intra-city and inter-city transportation, including 16 to 54-seater standard buses and 18 to 45-seater luxury and low-floor city buses.

Tata Motors shares on Tuesday ended at Rs 318.45 apiece on the BSE, down 0.11 per cent from previous close.