Hyundai admits to strike impact, sees early end to deadlock

The country's second-largest car maker, Hyundai Motor India, is expecting to end the deadlock at its Chennai facility within a few days, while admitting that the strike by its employees at the unit has impacted production. 

"Only a few people have joined the strike at the plant in Chennai. Daily production at the facility has been affected by 3-4 per cent, which is marginal," Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) Senior Vice-President (Marketing and Sales) Arvind Saxena told PTI.     

He, however, declined to elaborate on the demands of the workers at the plant.  

"The management is talking to them. We should handle and solve it in a few days," Saxena said.

Earlier this week, around 500 employees of HMIL went on a sudden indefinite fast protesting the alleged absence of management representatives for a conciliatory meeting to end the strike at Sriperumbudur unit. Members of the Hyundai Motor India Employees Union commenced the fast at the office of the Commissioner of Labour in Chennai. 

The union has been spearheading an indefinite strike since April 20 demanding solutions to some labour-related issues. According to a HMIL spokesperson earlier, the company's production at the plant was 90 per cent on the first day of the fast. Earlier, the strike notice was issued on March 18, 2009.