BENGALURU: The lockout declared since February 6 at the Tata Marcopolo Motors Ltd, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, has been lifted.
Tata Motors said in a statement on Sunday: “In view of the larger interest of all the company’s stakeholders, the Management of Tata Marcopolo Motors Ltd has taken a pragmatic view of the situation and decided to lift the lockout to resume operations shortly."
Tata Motors had declared a lockout at the Dharwad plant of Tata Marcopolo Motors following an “illegal strike” by workmen over wage negotiations.
It added: "The management is thankful to all key stakeholders’ especially it employees, Tata Marcopolo Karmikara Sangha, neighbouring villages, social and political leaders, eminent personalities in the area, the civil and police administration as well the Labour and Industries Departments of the Karnataka government for all their efforts and overwhelming support."
"We strive to carry out peaceful business in a congenial environment maintaining highest standards of safety, discipline, productivity and quality to fulfill our commitment to well-being of all the stakeholders," the statement said.
The company had said while declaring the lockout: “Workmen resorted to an illegal strike, with mass absence on January 31, 2016, compelling the plant’s management to resort to temporary suspension of operations on February 1 to ensure safety.”
“In view of continued deterioration of the situation and in the absence of a congenial working atmosphere, with a continued threat to safety of people and equipment, the company declared a lock-out from February 6,” a Tata Motors spokesperson said.
The company accused workers of disruption and jeopardising its operations and reputation inspite of it “undertaking an upward wage revision every year, even in adverse market conditions".
The Tata Marcopolo plant in Dharwad employs over 2,500 people and has the capacity to manufacture over 15,000 buses per annum.
The plant rolls out fully-built buses for intra-city and inter-city transportation, including 16 to 54-seater standard buses and 18 to 45-seater luxury and low-floor city buses.