Strike by Bosch Employees Continues for 3rd Day

Bangalore: Efforts are on to resolve issues at German auto component major Bosch's Adugodi plant where strike by workers entered the third day today.

The first round of talks between the management and the union were held on Thursday, which the workers claim to have broken down as the management stuck to their stand.

"The bilateral meeting went on for about an hour and a half. We tried to convince the management by expressing our intention to negotiate on few things to which the management did not agree and they stuck to their stand," Mico Employees Association President S Prasanna Kumar told PTI.

He said "as they stuck to their stand, the talks have failed and the strike will continue; we have informed about the developments to the Additional Labour Commissioner on whose directions the meetings were held. He will hold meeting on September 20."

A tripartite meeting, involving the union, the company management and the Additional Labour Commissioner, will be held on September 20.

Reacting to question on union's claim that the talks have failed, a company spokesperson said: "What I can say is the union might have claimed the talks have failed but bilateral meetings are scheduled for both today and tomorrow, and we will also have to go before labour department on the 20th, so we should not come to any conclusions till then."

"In today's meeting the company presented what it could...." she added.

The workers have gone on an indefinite strike since Tuesday seeking resolution for their charter of demands including wage issues and medical benefits.

The union has claimed that 2,575 permanent workers, 370 temporary workers are part of the strike.

The company's Bangalore plant has a history of workers unrest, and in September 2011, the plant was shut down temporarily following strike by workers.

Last year in March, workers had gone on a tool down strike, and in November the company had shut operations of the Bangalore due to another tool down strike.

In August this year, workers at the company's Jaipur plant had also gone on a tool down strike but was resolved within two days.