Production partially resumes at Halol, strike still on: GM

General Motors India today said it has resumed production partially at its Halol plant, in Gujarat where workers have gone on a strike since Wednesday, the second such instance in five months.

"About 350 workers have reported for work from today and we have started single shift production and around 150 are waiting outside the factory to join work," General Motors India Vice-President P Balendran told PTI.

The striking workers are opposing a long-term wage settlement agreement singed in December last year between the management and GM Employees' Union.

The three years agreement had covered salary increase and productivity related matters with the employees.

Subsequent to the agreement, all the permanent workers were given new salaries and benefits, the company said.

The plant, which employs a total of about 900 workers, produces 190 vehicles per day in single shift.

"When the strike started on Wednesday, only one shift was possible and thus we suffered a production loss of 95 units on Wednesday and 190 units yesterday," Balendran said.

Declaring the strike illegal, he said the company will be forced to take legal action against them.

"The strike is still in force and the striking workers are continuously threatening and attempting to stop the workers, who are willing to work and forcing them to join their illegal strike," he said.

It may be recalled that the workers at the plant had gone on strike in October last year demanding higher wages. It was resolved after four days.

The Halol plant produces premium hatchback Aveo U-Va, entry-level sedan Aveo, mid-sized sedan Optra, sedan Cruze and multi-utility vehicle Tavera.