Royal Enfield workers protest inside Oragadam factory, removed by police

A section of workers of two-wheeler major Royal Enfield's Oragadam factory, near Chennai, was on Friday shifted by the police from the factory premises for conducting protest within the plant.      

Royal Enfield Employees Union, the union which has been conducting protests for almost two weeks now, on Friday said that around 600 workers who sat inside the facility and raised slogans were shifted by the police to a nearby hall, from where they were released later. The union alleged that the management has asked them to sign an undertaking that they will not be part of the union and will not conduct a strike again. 

An email sent to the company seeking comment on Friday's development did not elicit a response till the time of going to press.

The Madras High Court had earlier directed the police to not allow protests within 100 metres from the factory premises.  

Earlier, the union, unrecognised by the company, alleged that the management did not allow them to carry their mobile phones into the factory. A section of workers abstained from work during the week as it refused to abide by the new decision of the management on mobile phones. However, on Friday, the workers agreed to leave their mobile phones with the security guard and went in. 

"The management asked them to sign an undertaking that they will not engage in strike again and the workers refused to sign. Following this, the workers sat in their respective departments and shouted slogans. The police has arrested 600 workers and moved them to a nearby public hall, while another 300 workers came out from the factory as part of the protest," said R Sampath, vice-president of Royal Enfield Employees Union. 

Royal Enfield had earlier said that its Oragadam factory, where workers were protesting, had been operational since Saturday, September 29, 2018, after a part of the workforce had not reported for duty since September 24. The company said it lost around 10,000 units due to the workers' protest during September.   

"We expect to reach regular levels of production in a phased manner. Our manufacturing facility at Vallam Vadagal continues to operate and deliver to its full capacity," the company said in a statement filed with NSE. 

The company claimed that it has not terminated anyone in the wake of recent developments at the plant. Salary revisions are done annually. The last annual salary revision was done in April 2018, and the next revision is due in April 2019. 

"We are in dialogue with our plant-based forums to amicably resolve all concerns," the company had said earlier.