Bajaj Auto on Akurdi plant

In continuation with its Press Release dated 29th August 2007, as also in light of subsequent media queries and recent events, Bajaj wishes to state the following "�

1. Production at the Akurdi Plant came to a halt peacefully and as planned last week. Not one untoward incident occurred; perfect testimony to worker maturity and management fairness.

2. Management is satisfied with this win-win situation owing to which workers will continue to receive their wages as if the Plant was working, while the Company will benefit from the direct and indirect gains of the shutdown.

3. Details of such benefits will shortly be furnished to the concerned authorities once competition sensitive information has been suitably addressed.

Bajaj hopes that the concerned authorities will act upon this information by taking corrective steps such as the abolishment of the evil of octroi. In such an event, the entire region will owe Bajaj a token of gratitude.

4. From some well intentioned quarters has come the ill thought out suggestion that the workmen be asked to report for work even though there is none to be done.

It must be understood that this is entirely undesirable since it not only imposes much inconvenience upon the workmen who must travel and the management that must provide for them, but it also means that for no useful purpose hundreds of infructuous bus trips must be made each day, congesting roads, consuming diesel, and emitting exhaust. This is in nobody's interest.

5. Furthermore, this shutdown also curtails the consumption of our most valuable social resources, namely water and electricity, which can now be redirected by the authorities for more needy requirements.

6. Management thanks its workmen, its Union, and the local authorities who have co-operated with it to make this win-win situation possible through this unique arrangement.

7. Simultaneously management would like to extend a word of caution to the workmen since it is observed that some undesirable external people and parties are, as is inevitable the case with labour matters, trying to provoke them with ulterior intentions and misleading information.

8. While the management cannot dissipate itself in responding to all such statements, it would like to dispel the notion that Bajaj is, in any manner, taking work away from this region.

Although Bajaj belongs to India and not to any one State, 100% of its growth since inception to Rs. 10.000 crore as of March 2007 has been in Maharashtra.

It has thus not only created thousands of jobs here through itself, its dealers, and its vendors, but has also been instrumental in getting many north and south India based vendors to set up shop in Chakan and Aurangabad.

Furthermore, it intends to set up its proposed 4-wheeler Plant in Chakan in the near future in appreciation of and for the benefit of this region.

9. Bajaj is confident that its workmen will reject the ill-intentioned advances that come from those who neither have, nor ever will, bring any lasting good to anyone.

Simultaneously it wishes to let it be known that any obstruction to its business activities and/or any perceived risk to its people or assets will be dealt with as firmly as ever.

10. Finally, management assures the workmen, and the region at large that it continues to be in dialogue with the Union for the consideration of any further measures that will bring greater reassurance and prosperity to us all.

Rajiv Bajaj,
MD, Bajaj Auto Ltd.
Pune, 3rd September 2007