The automobile sector in Tamil Nadu could have rid itself of ‘flash strikes’ by workers, if one were to go by the latest state automobile policy. However, the state government is yet to issue a government order (GO) on this and will probably issue it only after the general elections, sources said.
CM J Jayalalithaa, while announcing the automobile policy in February, had said the sector will be declared a ‘public utility’ under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, to prevent workers from going for ‘flash strikes’. This assumes importance at a time when the Ford India Employees Union is protesting against the management’s decision to cut performance incentives for 2013 by 10%. The union has not only called the management’s decision “unfair”, but also decided to reject the package, which is expected to be paid in early April.
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The union, which has been protesting in a peaceful manner for the last few days, has called for an internal meeting of members/officebearers to discuss the next course of action. They have decided to wait for the management to take a final call on the matter and will decide accordingly.
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Government sources told FE: “The decision to extend the ‘public utility’ to the automobile sector in the state stems from recent incidents across the country.” The decision also stems from the fact that the CM wants Tamil Nadu to be a partner in automotive investments in India and, as a long-term strategy, to widen and deepen the automotive industry in the state with an aim of doubling production volumes every five years to reach 5 million vehicles per annum by 2020, sources said.
“If the sector is declared a ‘public utility’, both management and workers will have enough time to sit and discuss to arrive at an amicable solution, with or without the state labour department’s intervention,” a source pointed out.
Under ‘public utility’ declaration, workers will have to issue a notice 14 days in advance to the management and state labour department with proper reasons. During the notice period, both parties cannot engage in any untoward action, the sources said.
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