Bangalore, March 12 (IANS) Automotive component major Bosch Ltd Friday withdrew notice to declare lockout at its main plant in this tech hub as negotiations were on with workforce on wage hike, while its other plant on the city’s outskirts remained shut for the fourth day.
“We have withdrawn the notice to declare lockout at our main plant in the city as conciliation talks with the workers’ union are at an advanced stage and things are looking better,” Bosch India spokesman Sanjay Chakravarty told IANS here.

The Indian subsidiary of the German behemoth declared lockout late Monday at Naganathapura plant near the electronics city, about 30 km from here, to protect machinery and following tool down strike by its 1,000-strong workforce over wage revision.

“We have decided not to go ahead with the lockout at our main plant to facilitate an early settlement on a revised wage accord and ensure normalcy returns though workers in the city plant are on go-slow strike hampering productivity,” Chakravarty said.

The company Thursday threatened to declare lockout at the main plant too if the 2,400 workers continued with their go-slow and tool down tactics.

The 57-year-old Indian subsidiary has been embroiled in a running battle with the Mico Karmika Sangha (Mico trade union) representing about 3,500 members working at its two plants since January 2009 over a new wage accord after the previous accord expired December 31, 2008.

Bosch India manufactures spark plugs, alternators and generator starters for the Indian automotive industry and exports to its parent’s group firms worldwide.

Bosch’s OEMs include Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Ford, Ashok Leyland, Kirloskar, Hyundai and TVS Motors.

“We are willing to lift the lockout at Naganathapura, provided the employees restore normalcy and agree to production schedule,” Bhattacharya asserted.

Of the four major plants in the country, the two Bangalore plants account for 55 percent of the company’s production and sales turnover, which was Rs.47.5 billion in calendar year 2009.

The other two plants are at Nashik in Maharasthra and Jaipur in Rajasthan.

– Indo-Asian News Service

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