Relay hunger strike starts at Toyota today

The change in strategy came after a veteran freedom fighter Doreswamy advised the fasting workers to withdraw their hunger strike this morning

The Toyota Kirloskar Motor Employees Union  on Monday decided to end its five-day hunger strike at the main gate of the factory in Bidadi near here and instead go on a relay hunger strike from Tuesday. The change in strategy came after a veteran freedom fighter, Doreswamy, advised the fasting workers to withdraw.

“We have decided to end the hunger strike on the advise of Doreswamy and other senior trade union leaders. From tomorrow morning, our members will sit on a relay hunger strike for 24 hours, in batches. This will continue till our demands are fulfilled by the management,” said R Satish, the union’s general secretary.

The union had launched an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday. However, 11 workers reported sick on Saturday and Sunday and were admitted to nearby hospitals. The workers are now out of danger and recovering, Satish said. Meanwhile, the deputy labour commissioner had to postpone a conciliation meeting called between the union and management on Monday to Thursday.

“We had filed a complaint with the labour department against the management for lifting of lockout with conditions. Lifting lockout with conditions was illegal and we had requested the department to treat it as continuation of the lockout. The department called the conciliation meeting. But the management did not turn out for it,” he said.