Foxconn workers and management fail to find solution in 5th round of talks

Company suspended operations at the factory since December 22

Fifth round of talks between the Union, representing Foxcoon workers, and the management of the Taiwan company has failed today. The talks were held infront of the Assistant Labour Commissioner at Sriperumbdur, on the outskirts of Chennai, where the company's facility is located.

Both sides were stubborn on their stand. While management said they cannot give jobs since the company dont have order to run the factory, Union said they will not accept VRS or severance package package, all they want is jobs.

Next round of talks is scheduled on January 9th, ahead of talks Union have threatened to gate crash on January 5th.

While the management and labour department officials were not available for comment immediately E Muthukumar, president of Foxconn India Employees Union has said that "the talks failed today and we urged the Department to use 10-B of the Labour Act."

The Act allows the State Government to ask the company to start the factory in an unusual circumstance. Under this Section the Government can also ask workers to stop protest and direct both the parties to conduct talks mediated by the department for an amicable solution.

Meanwhile the Union has said on January 5th it will again gate crash into the factory. It may be noted, on December 29, around 250 people were tried to gate crash and 168 of them were arrested by the Police.

Police officials have said that the Workers were taken under preventive arrest and released on bail in the evening.

Since December 22, Foxconn closed its factory due to "lack of orders". The main customer for the company was Nokia, which closed its operations since November 1. Both the facilities are located inside the Nokia Sriperumbdur SEZ, around 45 kms from Chennai.

Since March, the company is facing the situation. First it was not able to provide regular works to around 100 workers and month by month it was increased to 850 workers, however salary was not kept on hold, it said. The Foxconn facility employeed around 8,000 people during its good times.

FIH India Pvt Ltd, formerly known as Foxconn India Private Limited, in fact stopped operations at its factory at the Nokia Sriperumbudur SEZ near Chennai, two days before the announced date of December 24, triggering fears of massive lay-offs among workers.