BENGALURU: Karnataka has always pitched itself as a favoured investment destination and many global corporations have already set up bases in the state. However, some recent incidents of labour unrest may have dented Brand Bengaluru and Brand Karnataka. A case in point being the prolonged workers’ strike at the Toyota Kirloskar plant at Bidadi near the city. But acting quickly, Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar mediated between the management and the striking workers and brought about a truce. The Toyota team thanked him on Friday for personally intervening and ending the labour unrest.
Explaining to TNIE how the impasse ended, Shettar said, “I visited the factory twice. On two other occasions, the representatives of both sides met me at my house. We had also met at another venue and had a joint meeting. Apart from this, I was in touch with both sides on the phone. The management had suspended some staffers. I expedited the inquiry and the matter has been sorted out.’’
The minister also said the labour issues concerning iPhone maker Wistron in Kolar district and Asian Paints in Mysuru district have also been sorted out. Regarding the workers’ issues at AT&S, he said, “It has not come to my notice. If they approach me, I will intervene. Meanwhile, I will also try to find out what the problems are.”Additional Chief Secretary, Industries Department, Gaurav Gupta told TNIE, “The government has held talks at the ministerial level with the labour union and the factory management.”
Hope to hold investors’ meet in Dec: Shettar
“The minister played an important role. There were several legal and labour issues. Emotions were also running high. But now, an amicable settlement has been reached,’’ Additional Chief Secretary, Industries Department, Gaurav Gupta said. Karnataka is preparing for the GIM sometime in December.
“If we have gotten over Covid by then, we will have GIM in December,’’ Shettar said. Brand guru Harish Bijoor told TNIE, “Issues that relate to labour and their wellbeing are serious. They are endemic to work, working conditions and pay scales. The pandemic has only worsened this. To that extent, this is not unique to Karnataka. Brand Karnataka does take a beating as these issues seem to follow one another with some degree of regularity. As long as these incidents can be counted on the fingers, it is fine. The moment it goes beyond that, we will have a brand crisis on hand.”