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450 workers detained as Ford India sacks 9

Over 450 employees of Ford India were detained late on Tuesday night for staging a demonstration at the factory site near Chennai against the management?s action of sacking 9 employees for violating code of integrity.

Over 450 employees (believed to be workers) of Ford India were detained late on Tuesday night for staging a demonstration at the factory site near Chennai against the management?s action of sacking 9 employees for violating code of integrity. The workers are demanding reinstatement of the sacked employees.

With the workers adamant in their demand for reinstatement of their sacked colleagues, the issue has now moved to the state?s labour department, which expects to take up the issue on Thursday.

While the employees allege that their colleagues were sacked arbitrarily by the management, the management says the action was taken after proper investigations.

When contacted a spokesperson of Ford India said, ?Nine employees at Ford?s Chennai operation violated the company?s code of integrity and their employment was terminated after due enquiry process on March 27. As on March 28, there has been no disruption to our production and we continue to retain normal production levels. We have prioritised and redistributed our work force to ensure that there is no delay or disruption to our production with shifts running on schedule.?

Speaking to the FE, K Selvaraj, the treasurer of unrecognised Ford India Employees Union and a member of internal workers committee, admitted that some of the workers presented bills to claim certain (medical) allowance to avoid tax burden, which the management found to be forged after scrutiny. ?The management could have warned or suspended those workers, but they sacked them arbitrarily, which we find difficult to absorb,? Selvaraj said, adding, ?All these workers have put in 8 to 10 years of experience and need to be given a chance to rectify themselves. Even if they were found guilty, the punishment needs to be reduced either with a strong warning or with suspension, but they should be reinstated. We want the labour department to intervene and solve this issue?

?We will decide on the next course of action after the outcome of Thursday?s meeting,? Selvaraj said.

Ford India plant near Chennai can produce more than 200,000 cars per annum and equal number of engines to 350,000 units per annum, which would be scaled up substantially going forward.

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First published on: 29-03-2012 at 03:35 IST
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