Auto component maker Bosch on Monday said it has declared a lockout at its Jaipur plant, where the labour union and workmen had allegedly taken a ‘go-slow’ approach to production. Wage settlement negotiations for June 2013-May 2017 had been going on at the plant for over 20 months and several conciliation meetings had been convened by the state labour department.
“The management’s decision on such an action was taken as the union has been on an illegal go-slow since March 19, 2015, reducing output by up to 70% of normal output,” the company said in a communication to stock exchanges. “Subsequently, since April 2, the union has been on an illegal hunger strike. The union had also issued a notice declaring an indefinite strike beginning April 3, which has now been deferred,” it said.
“The company does not expect an immediate impact on its deliveries to customers because of available stocks as well as production from its officers who are trained to work in production, ” it said.
Bosch said the Rajasthan government has referred the wage settlement negotiations to the Industry Tribunal, Jaipur, for adjudication.
The Jaipur lockout comes four months after the resolution of a labour problem at Bosch’s Bengaluru plant. The employees union of Bengaluru had struck work for nearly three months from September 2014.