There’s more trouble brewing for Hero MotoCorp during the festival season. The company’s workers are planning to go on strike again as some workers from the Gurgaon and Haridwar plants, suspended during a previous strike, are yet to be reinstated.

Sources from the company said that union leaders and the suspended workers are in talks with the management, but allege that the management is not taking them seriously.

“If the matter gets serious and workers are not taken back, then we plan a mass protest against the company during the festival season, in Gurgaon,” said one of the Gurgaon labour union members, speaking to Business Line on condition of anonymity.

Earlier this month, the company had suspended 38 workers from the Haridwar plant who were on strike demanding the reinstatement of a worker suspended in August.

Production hit

“Neither Amarnath (the first suspended worker) nor 38 of us have been taken back by the company. The management has said it will hold an enquiry, and after that, decide whether we can join office or not,” said one of the suspended workers from the Haridwar plant.

According to sources from the Haridwar plant, production is not at full capacity. The company has around 5,000 workers, including around 700 permanent workers, at the Haridwar plant.

Commenting on the development, aHero MotoCorp spokesperson said: “All our plants, including the one in Haridwar, have been functioning normally. As we have stated earlier, a few misguided workers at the plants were suspended, pending enquiry, on charges of gross indiscipline. And that process will take its own course.” On September 6, nine workers from the Gurgaon plant were also suspended over an argument with senior officials. After talks with the management, five were taken back within a week.

However, four are still suspended. “We are waiting for their (management) call and expect a settlement soon. We want everything to be settled peacefully,” said a suspended worker from the Gurgaon facility.

Hero MotoCorp shares closed at Rs 1,999.60 on the Bombay Stock Exchange on Monday, up 0.88 per cent from the previous close.

ronendrasingh.s@thehindu.co.in

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