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Talks inconclusive: The Union Minister for Agriculture, Mr Sharad Pawar, meeting with Mr Rajiv Bajaj (left), Managing Director, Bajaj Auto, in an attempt to restart the Akurdi plant near Pune. Also seen is the Maharashtra Excise Minister, Mr Ganesh Naik (centre). - Vivek Bendre

Our Bureau

Mumbai, Sept. 8 Bajaj Auto Ltd has offered three options including VRS to all its workers at the Akurdi plant near Pune, which has been shut since September 1.

The company management made the offer at a meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, and the Maharashtra Labour Minster, Mr Ganesh Naik, on Saturday.

The Bajaj Auto Managing Director, Mr Rajiv Bajaj, at the AGM speech in July, had indicated that the company would like to shut Akurdi plant since it was not price competitive.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Mr Naik said that the primary offer of the company was jobs for all the workers with the Bajaj Auto dealers’ network, which is spread across the country. Second is employment to children of displaced workers in the upcoming plant in Chakan provided they are technically qualified. The third offer is VRS to the workers, he said.

Mr Naik said today’s talks were inconclusive and Mr Pawar would hold another round of talks in a week’s time. The labour unions have also sought time to consult with the workers. The State Government wants the plant to be restarted soon, he said.

Mr Naik also clarified that the Bajaj Auto would not be allowed to develop any other businesses like IT park or housing complex at the plant. The company has offered to give salary of 5.5 days per week after the closure but Mr Pawar has suggested that the workers should be given 6 days salary, he said.

Mr Suryakant Mahadik, the president of Bharatiya Kamgar Sena and representative of the main workers union, said that the company has not taken the worker unions into confidence. Therefore, the company must first restart the plant, maintain status quo and then talks to the unions, he said.

He said that the workers did not want salary without work. There appears to be no reason for shutting the plant as it is a profit making one, he said.

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