Deadlock continues at Bombardier's Savli unit

The workers of Bombardier Transportation's Savli unit continued their strike for the ninth day as the meeting with the labour commissioner failed to end the deadlock on Tuesday.

"We had called both the parties for discussion today. But both of them were adamant in their respective stand. There is no resolution so far," said K O Shah, deputy labour commissioner.

"The striking workers claim that the company forced them to work beyond the stipulated working hours at Delhi. Hence they want to quit," said Shah.

The workers are opposed to their posting at company's Delhi operations and want to quit the company with heavy financial settlement. The workers want the management to provide them reasonable work, facilities and payment as per their cadre.

"The striking workers are making unreasonable demand for financial settlement, which is unheard of in the industry. We have made several efforts to resolve the deadlock with mutually acceptable terms, but nothing seems to be working," a company spokesman said.

The workers are opposing the company's transition plan for around 40 employees to its project site in Delhi. According to the company the transition plan was its effort to save jobs at the factory as the railcar division did not have fresh orders since January this year.

"With no resolution in sight, we may approach higher authorities in Gandhinagar in coming days," Shah said.

The senior company officials claim to have approached the striking workers to return to work.

"The workers have refused to talk to management and want external representative to negotiate on their behalf. In a way, they are pushing unionism in the company, which we will not accept," the company official said. The metro rail coach maker has already termed the strike illegal and filed police complaint against the leaders of the striking workers. As many as 100 workers of the railcar division of out of the total 600 workers at the Savli facility have gone on strike since June 3.

According to company, the production is not hampered as the workers at its bogie division continue to work.