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Labour unrest cropped up at German luxury carmaker BMW’s factory at the Mahindra City near Chennai after some members of the BMW India Staff and Employees Union were barred from entering the factory premises.
The workers’ union alleged that the management was putting new restrictions on workers who have been following all the conditions put out by the latter.
A union official said the management wanted workers to sign a document before entering the factory premises. The management alleged that there was constant increase in mobile usage in the shop floor and discipline and workplace safety were being violated. Production norms that have been agreed upon for improving the productivity, were not being adhered to.
“To ensure productivity, discipline and workplace safety, starting from August 25, the associates are requested to sign the said undertaking before entering the factory premises,” said the management’s document, which was shared with the BusinessLine .
As workers refused to sign the document, they were barred from entering the premises and that led to some unrest near the factory.
Leave of absence
Meanwhile, workers were also upset with the management’s behaviour of granting leave of absence to nine office bearers of the union from August 23 until further notice. The management alleged that employees were in discussion with office bearers of BMW India Staff and Employees Union during working hours with regard to the wage settlement and that was impairing the day-to-day production activities.
They were not placed under suspension and continue to be on the rolls of the factory.
The ‘forced leave of absence’ to union office bearers is reported to have caused unrest as union members expressed disappointment over the management’s behaviour at a time when the wage settlement process was going on smoothly based on the advice of the Labour Office.
Meanwhile, the company said, in a statement that BMW Plant Chennai was in the process of settling the wage agreement with the union and is constructively working with the union to reach a common understanding.
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