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A meeting between the workers’ union, company management and labour department officials on Tuesday morning failed, according to the union. Sources said the union members, including the honorary president of Foxconn India Workers' Union, A Soundararajan, were arrested and kept in a wedding hall, as they tried to enter the factory premises without permission. Workers said the company sought the help of police to keep the workers out.
The union leaders said the labour department has informed the company that they should not stop the workers from coming to the factory, and the company can suspend operations after the necessary procedures.
This comes at a time when the company informed its workers that the management would be looking at announcing a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) or severance package in the near future. News agency PTI, reported later in the evening that the management has notified that it would offer a VRS.
“We asked them not to suspend the operations just because Nokia has stopped operations. The labour department also asked them not to deny work to the employees, since it is against the law. The labour office has asked the company to bring an official who can take decisions, to the meeting scheduled on Tuesday,” Soundararajan said.
The company, in a notice displayed at the boundary of the facility, said, “We are not able to give jobs to all the workers, since we don’t have orders to give jobs. Since the management has declared a holiday for the factory, workers are asked not to come to the factory.” It added the company is trying to find a solution through a dialogue and till that time the workers has to be patient and extend full co-operation.
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 management has held talks with three Unions for five times and a tri-party meeting in the office of the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Sriperumbudur was also held on December 12 and 18, 2014 while the next meeting will be held on December 26, 2014.
The company earlier stated that it is planning to suspend the operations and this action is being taken due to a change in that facility's customer base and a related change in the manufacturing requirements of our customers in India. The company is working with the government and the relevant labor unions to ensure that this action is carried out in a manner that follows all relevant laws and regulations and is fair to the approximately 1,700 employees who will be affected by this move, it added.
