| Strike shuts Toyota Indian plant | 12/01/2006 - 14:00:22 |
The strike is in its third day and started after three workers were dismissed on disciplinary grounds. Toyota runs the plant, which makes Corolla and Camry cars, with its partner, Indian firm Kirloskar Group. Company and union officials will meet on Monday after workers demonstrated outside the plant over the weekend. Reports estimated that as many as 400 workers blocked the road to the factory on Saturday. 'Restore normalcy' "We were forced to declare a lockout because the safety of our officers and machines was threatened by the striking employees," said AR Shankar, general manager of Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts. "We would like to restore normalcy as soon as possible, but at the same time we would not like to compromise on discipline," he said. Toyota is not the first Japanese firm to experience problems with its Indian workforce. Last year, police clashed with workers from Honda's Indian scooter division, costing the firm millions of dollars in lost production. Toyota's southern Indian plant can produce about 60,000 vehicles a year. Workers began the strike on Friday, and the company said it was unsure what would happen in coming days. "We don't know which direction the events are set to take and it is a tense moment for the company," Mr Shankar said.Original Location: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4594494.stm |
We don't know which direction the events are set to take and it is a tense moment for the company 