The workers at Renault-Nissan’s car plant in Tamil Nadu have refused to resume work and have gone on a strike as the employee union, which comprises of 3500 workers, alleges the Company is not following COVID-related safety norms. Also, the workers say that the Company-provided health benefits outweigh the risks to their lives.
On the other hand, the Company clarified to the High Court earlier that it was difficult for it to halt operations at this point of time as it had to meet some demand by the domestic and export markets. The Company also refutes the allegations by saying that it has left no stone unturned in ensuring the health and safety of its employees and is following all required norms at the plant. The Company says that the vaccination process of all the workers has been initiated for the employees and that daily shifts have been cut down to two instead of three.
The plant in Tamil Nadu is jointly owned by Renault and Nissan with the latter owing more stakes in the plant.
Meanwhile, amidst sit-down protests by the workers on Monday at the Hyundai plant in Tamil Nadu, the automobile firm has decided to shut its operations for five days from May 25 to May 29.
The Hyundai management in its announcement did not specify whether they have taken this decision following resentment from employees, but the employee union at Hyundai states that the Company has agreed to their demands to suspend operations, as COVID cases in Tamil Nadu are on the rise.
The Court has allowed the auto mobile industry to carry out operations during the lockdown, but it has not declared it as an essential services sector yet.
