The stalemate between striking workers and management of General Motors (GM) India continues for 14th day at the Halol facility in Gujarat, with the car maker incurring production loss of about 850 vehicles so far.
As the deadline to join work did not fructify in bringing in about 250 agitating employees to duty, the company has initiated process to take disciplinary actions against them.
"We have started consultation with our legal officer and the process to take disciplinary action has already started," General Motors India Vice-President P Balendran told PTI.
He, however, declined to share details, saying it will take some time to decide on any action.
The company had given an ultimatum to about 250 striking workers threatening termination of services unless they returned to duty by March 25.
On March 16, workers had resorted to strike at the Halol facility, which has an installed capacity of 85,000 units a year, protesting transfer of some employees to dealership outlets and opposing a long-term wage settlement agreement signed in December last year.
More From This Section
The plant has one registered workers body, GM Employees' Union. The company claims that a new union, formed under the aegis of Congress-backed Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), has been spearheading the agitation.
The state government had earlier declared the strike illegal and imposed Section 144 of IPC near the plant location to prevent any possible gathering of agitators.
Updating on the latest situation, Balendran said: "About 70% of the total workmen have reported. The company has so far suffered production loss of about 850 units since the beginning of the strike."
The company has already shifted the production of its small car Spark to Talegaon facility in Maharashtra from Halol, he added.
The Halol facility, which employs over 900 workmen, has been rolling out little over 100 units daily compared to its original 190 units.
This is the second such incident at Halol in five months. The plant came to a halt for four days when workers went on a strike from October 29, 2010, demanding wage hikes and GM India's total production losses amounted to 450 units.
The Halol facility produces premium hatchback Aveo U-Va, entry-level sedan Aveo, mid-sized sedan Optra, premium sedan Cruze and multi-utility vehicle Tavera.
The strike at GM's plant comes at a time when Gujarat is trying to hardsell itself as an investment friendly state.
Interestingly, the Economic Survey for 2010-11 had said Gujarat witnessed the highest number of strikes and other forms of labour unrest in recent times on account of various financial and disciplinary issues.