Bosch lifts lockout following truce with labour

Bangalore, March 12 : Automotive component major Bosch Ltd decided to lift the lockout Saturday at its plant on the outskirts of this tech hub following an agreement with its workers in restoring normalcy, an official said late Friday.

"We have decided to lift the lockout at Naganathapura plant in the electronics city, as the employees have agreed to return to work and restore normalcy," Bosch spokesman Sanjay Chakravarty told IANS.

The decision to lift the four-day lockout was arrived at between the management and the employees' union Mico Karmika Sangha (Mico Trade Union) in the presence of additional labour commissioner E. Narasimhah, who presided over the reconciliation meetings.

"Discussions on revised wage accord will continue with the union. Our priority is to get the plant re-activated from Saturday first shift at 6 a.m.," Chakravarty said.

Earlier, the company withdrew its notice to declare lockout at its main plant in the city, as negotiations on wage hike continued with the union members.

The Indian subsidiary of the German behemoth declared lockout late Monday at the Naganathapura plant on the outskirts of this city to protect machinery following a tool- down strike by its 1,000-strong workforce over wage revision.

The 57-year-old Indian subsidiary has been embroiled in a running battle with the union representing about 3,500 employees working at its two plants since January 2009 for a new wage accord after the previous accord expired Dec 31, 2008.

Bosch India manufactures spark plugs, alternators and generator starters for the Indian automotive industry and exports to its parent's group firms worldwide.

Bosch's OEMs include Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra and Mahindra, Tata Motors, Ford, Ashok Leyland, Kirloskar, Hyundai and TVS Motors.

Of the four major plants in the country, the two Bangalore plants account for 55 percent of the company's production and sales turnover, which was Rs.47.5 billion in calendar year 2009.

The other two plants are at Nashik in Maharashtra and Jaipur in Rajasthan.