Workers unrest at Bombardier's Savli unit

As many as 100 workers of the company's rail car body division have gone on strike since June 3

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Metro rail coach maker, Bombardier Transportation, is facing labour unrest at its Savli facility near Vadodara. About 100 workers of the company's rail car body division have been on strike since June 3.

"About 100 workers have gone on strike at Savli facility of the company. Our officials met the two sides on Friday and sought the reason for the stand-off. The workers seem to be unhappy with the company’s plan of transition for 40 workers to its site in Delhi. This triggered the discontent among the workers, who gathered support from others," said K O Shah, deputy labour commissioner — Vadodara region.

"We have kept a meeting with representatives of the workers and company officials on Monday to bring a solution to this," Shah added.

The company has termed the strike illegal and filed police complaint against the leaders of the striking workers.

"The employees have formed an illegal strike seeking unreasonable work demands, threatening other employees not to work, engaging support of the local union and forcing workers to stop work. We have sought police protection at the plant for the safety of our workers and other staff," said a company spokesperson.

The total workforce at the Savli unit is 600. The company manufactures bogies and rail cars at the facility.

According to company officials, the rail car division did not have fresh orders since January.

The workers have been effectively paid their full salary month after month without any production since January. Despite these efforts, the workers declined to accept terms and conditions, the company informed in a statement on Saturday.

"We shifted 34 workers of our railcar division from Savli to our Delhi site with allowances, in addition to their regular salary. But they returned without intimating the company and instigated others to join the strike," said a company officer.

"We are open for talks with the workers, but they are misguided by notorious local union leaders, who are not the employees of the company. They want to introduce unionism in Bombardier," the official said.

The company has taken necessary precautionary arrangements and beefed up security to ensure safety of around 500 employees who are currently working at the site. Bombardier is currently is in talks with these employees about their demands with the aim of reaching a mutually acceptable solution.

In case the company’s current workload requirements do not match their skill sets in any location, Bombardier will explore various options as available under statutory labour law provisions, the company statement said.