Tata Motors’ Sanand plant workers’ strike enters day 2

Strike by a section of workers at Tata Motors plant here entered the second day as the company’s management and protesting employees remained adamant on their stand, a Labour Department official said.

“Both the management and the workers, who are on strike, are adamant on their stand. The workers are demanding that suspension of all the 28 colleagues be immediately revoked while the company management is saying that they will take a decision on it only after an inquiry,” Assistant Labour Commissioner M S Patel said on Wednesday.

Striking workers are protesting at the plant site in Sanand. When contacted, a company spokesperson said there has been no significant impact on production due to the strike.

Explaining the issue, Patel said the company had two months ago suspended two workers for indiscipline. “As the company had not taken any decision on revoking their suspension for two months, other workers on Monday went on a flash strike. They also scratched some new vehicles inside the plant,” Patel said.

“The company on Monday suspended another 26 workers after the flash strike,” he added. “We have been trying to mediate between the workers and the company management over the issue from the time they have gone on strike,” Patel said.

“The company management is saying that they will take a decision regarding the suspended workers only after an inquiry,” he added. Striking workers have formed a seven-member committee to negotiate with company management and the Gujarat government as there is no union.

Tata’s Nano plant was shifted from West Bengal to Gujarat, as it was facing protest over land acquisition in the eastern state. However, the journey of Nano has not been easy as the sales of the model have not been up to the expectations of the company after which the production at the plant has been cut down from its full capacity of 2.5 lakh car per annum. 

The company has also decided to produce its other models from its existing facility at Sanand. “Workers have gone on an illegal flash sit-in strike on February 22, demanding reinstatement of the workmen suspended (pending inquiry) for serious misconduct,” the company said in a statement.

“There has been continued agitation for further monetary increase as well as protest against disciplinary action against those instigating the workmen, resulting in serious threat to company personnel as well as losses due to tampering,” it added. 

Meanwhile, shares of Tata Motors fell nearly 4 per cent, eroding Rs 3,722 crore from its market valuation, as the strike by a section of workers at the company’s plant in Ahmedabad entered the second day.

The stock went down by 3.63 per cent to settle at Rs 306.90 on BSE. During the day, it lost 4 per cent to Rs 305.50.

At NSE, shares of the company slipped 3.84 per cent to close at Rs 306.30. Led by decline in the stock, the company’s market valuation fell by Rs 3,722.27 crore to Rs 88,219.73 crore.

Strike by a section of workers at Tata Motors plant in Ahmedabad entered the second day as the company’s management and protesting employees remained adamant on their stand, a Labour Department official said.

“Both the management and the workers, who are on strike, are adamant on their stand. The workers are demanding that suspension of all the 28 colleagues be immediately revoked while the company management is saying that they will take a decision on it only after an inquiry,” Assistant Labour Commissioner M S Patel said.

Striking workers are protesting at the plant site in Sanand. When contacted, a company spokesperson said there has been no significant impact on production due to the strike.