The Hindu Business Line : Mico Bangalore unit workers serve strike notice

Mico workers belonging to the Bangalore plant which makes key parts for common rail systems have served a strike notice to the company stating that they will go on strike from May 16 if their demands are not met immediately.

A company official said over 2,000 workers belonging to Mico Employees' Association have given strike notice effective May 16, 2006. They have demanded certain temporary workmen to be made permanent, resolution of inter plant disparity in prospective benefit and incentive rates and customary gift to employees.

The company management has however, said that they will not hesitate to resort to lock-out of the factory, if necessary and have asked the union to withdraw the strike notice. The official said the talks were on with the employees' association and on May 12, there will be a conciliation meeting by the additional labour commissioner.

The Mico Employees' Association President, Mr V.J.K. Nair, told Business Line that the association had taken up the issue with regard to changes in the incentive rate calculation. Mr Nair, who is also the All-India Vice-President for CITU, said the management was yet to make permanent those employees who had joined Mico in 1997. "We don't want the strike to happen. In fact, we averted a strike in November last year," he said.

Mico's parent Bosch is investing up to Rs 1,800 crore till 2008 including Rs 550 crore in series production of high-pressure common-rail systems in its Indian plants. The first of the common rail pumps will roll out from the Bangalore factory by mid-2006. Mico recorded an 8.5 per cent decline in net profit to Rs 343 crore in 2005 while the company's total turnover including other income rose 27 per cent to around Rs 3,103 crore during the same period.

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