Lockout in the Perambra unit of Apollo Tyres is a result of the unreasonable stance taken by a section of the workers during the longterm settlement (LTS) negotiations, the company has said.
In a press statement, Satish Sharma, chief (India operations), said the management had initiated LTS discussions in November 2009, much before the expiry of the current settlement.
“A series of bilateral talks were followed by the intervention of the state labour department. Despite their best efforts, the trade unions resorted to an illegal ‘Go Slow’, forcing the management to take disciplinary action,” the company said. The LTS benefit that the company offered was the best in the state, and exceeds the benchmark by more than 10 per cent, it said.