Toyota lockout, efforts to break impasse make no headway

The lockout at two plants of Toyota Kirloskar Motor's manufacturing plants at Bidadi near here following workers' strike continued for fourth day today, as the meeting called by Labour department made no headway.
"We had meeting today, we have once again called the meeting tomorrow; talks are still in progress at this point" Additional Labour Commissioner J T Jinkalappa told PTI, after talks with the management and the union to break the impasse.
To a question whether there was any progress in talks, he said "we are discussing with both the parties, let see what will happen tomorrow."
Toyota Kirloskar Motor, the subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corp of Japan, had on March 16 declared a lockout, following the failure of talks between the management and the union over wage negotiation.

The union is demanding a wage hike of Rs 4,000 as against Rs 3,050 proposed by the management.
"No results from the meeting today, we have asked for lifting of lockout but there has been no response from the management side so we have asked Labour department officials to prohibit the lockout," Toyota Kirloskar Workers Union (TKMEU) President Prasanna Kumar said.
"Officials have once again called for meeting tomorrow, let's see what will happen tomorrow," he added.
However, TKMEU General Secretary R Satish said: "Management is still operating the plant with the help of about 700 to 800 contract labourers.