Tata Motors sets deadline for striking workers to join back

Firm to take legal action if they don't resume work by March 11; workers defiant, have no plans to join back

Tata Motors on Tuesday said   the company has yet again reached out to the striking workers and advised them to resume duty on or before March 11, failing which, the company would take appropriate legal actions. The workers, however, said there was no plan to join back as of now.

Gujarat Khedut Samaj (GKS), a farmers outfit, has already extended support to the striking workers, and indicated that it would move the Gujarat High Court to protest against the state labour department’s decision to prohibit the strike.

Sagar Rabari, secretary, GKS said, “This is not any essential service or commodity, that the government acted in a hurry to declare the strike illegal. We would move Court against this. Also, we are seeking permission to sit in a dharna before the Ahmedabad collector’s office.”

Tata Motors said in a statement on Tuesday, “Under Clause 10(3) of the Industrial Disputes Act 1947,  to prohibit the ongoing illegal strike by Gujarat government, for all such workmen who are yet to resume duty, the company will consider it as unauthorised absence.”

The company has yet again reached out to the striking workmen and advised them to resume duty on or before March 11, failing which the company would be compelled to take appropriate legal actions.”

The company too has moved the Ahmedabad Session Court for an injunction to prevent any agitations on the plant premises to ensure protection and safety of its people and property. Zhala Harpal Sinh, a striking worker at the site, and one of the committee members of the seven member workers’ committee that is representing the striking workers said that there were no plans to join back work as of now.

Around 422 workers at the site had gone on strike from February 22 protesting against the suspension of 28 workers, and sources have indicated that about 50 of them have already resumed work at the site.