Hundreds of Hyundai workers arrested

Two hundred workers of Hyundai Motors India Limited (HMIL) at Sriperumpudur in Chenna were arrested on Tuesday for staging a sit-in strike in the plant,police said.

The workers are demanding reinstatement of over 60 dismissed workers.

They were part of 230 workers who went into the plant on June 6 for the second shift, and stayed on, declaring a sit in strike and stalling assembly work, police said.

Six workers were arrested yesterday as they had gathered around the company gate and allegedly hurled stones and broken glasses,shouting slogans in support of those on strike.

The flash strike by a section of workers forced suspension of production of 2,200 cars yesterday, valued at around Rs 65 crore, the company had said in a release.

The Hyundai Motor India Employees Union (HMIEU) Vice President Thangapandiyan had claimed that nearly 1,500 workers were on strike but the company maintained only around 150 workers have resorted to a ‘sit-in strike’, forcing it to suspend production.

HMIL said the 'unrecognized union' (HMIEU) -- had called for the strike.

The company said it had on July 28 2009 signed an MoU with the union in the presence of the Labour Minister and other government officials, agreeing to reinstate 20 of the 87 dismissed employees on a case by case review.

It had fulfilled its commitment on humanitarian grounds, but HMIEU was now demanding reinstatement of the remaining 67 employees, who had been dismissed for gross misconduct, leading to damage of company property and violence against fellow workers, the release said.

HMIEU has initiated the ‘sit in’ strike even before the conciliation proceedings before the Labour Commissioner are to be completed, the release added.

Source http://www.hindustantimes.com/Hundreds-of-Hyundai-workers-arrested/Article1-554907.aspx