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Employees at Ford India's factory in Maraimalai Nagar near here are agitating against the management's decision to cut employee incentives from 26 per cent to 15 per cent.
They said they would decide their next course of action after discussions with the management.
"To show our unhappiness, we started an agitation by skipping lunch at the company's canteen in the factory. Also, we didn't avail of the transportation offered by the company," said a senior union representative.
The company said so far, the agitation hadn't affected production.
It would resolve the issue through dialogue, it added.
The manufacturing unit employs 5,000-6,000 people on the shop floor.
According to sources in the company's employee union, the company had incentives of 26 per cent in 2012, when production 106,000 units. This was cut to 15 per cent in 2013, despite production increasing to 122,000 units.
In response to an emailed query by Business Standard, Ford India said, "Incentives on performance metrics is an open and transparent process at Ford India. We have the full support of all workers, with communications on the issue happening at regular intervals; managers discuss the progress on a metric and answer queries. There are multiple dimensions in determining performance metrics, which vary year to year, based on internal and external factors."
The company said Ford India continued to provide "best-in-industry" incentives and was creating significant employment opportunities.
"Ford India has a valid and well-functioning employee participation forum comprising interested and democratically elected employees with whom we enjoy a strong relationship. We prefer to have these discussions within the company and want our employees to respect confidentiality."
Established in 1995, Ford India's integrated manufacturing facility in Maraimalai Nagar manufactures various vehicles, including the Figo, Fiesta, Classic, Endeavour and EcoSport.
MONEY MATTERS
- The agitation is against the management's decision to cut employee incentives from 26 per cent to 15 per cent
- Employees said they would decide their next course of action after discussions with the management
- The company said so far the agitation hadn't affected production
- The unit employs 5,000-6,000 people on the shop floor
