"Our production has dropped by 50 per cent and only half of the employees are working; but in the long run we will make up and improve our productivity", Maruti Udyog Ltd managing director Jagdish Khattar said here on Thursday. "Many more would like to come and join in the production but are not being allowed to come", he added. As many workers stay in the two housing societies near Gurgaon, it becomes easier for the union to exert pressure. Those living outside are, however, returning to their duties, he claimed.

The company said 3,007 employees were working on October 18 as against 2,344 employees on October 12. A majority of these 3,007 employees are non-unionised executives including supervisors and assistant supervisors and people from the non-production department.

Besides, the union exploited the unfortunate demise of two workers, he said.While one worker, Mr Chander Bhan, working in the electrical and mechanical utilities department, was a heart patient, the other, Mr Rajesh Kumar, complained of throat infection a day before his body was found by the police in Gurgaon on October 17. The employees union had said that the management had a hand in these deaths. Mr Khattar said that "the tactics of the Union to use a natural death to fuel a dying agitation amounts to cynical manipulation", adding that the company will not bow to such measures.