No end in sight for Ceat strike on day-four

As the strike at Nashik plant of Ceat Tyre entered the fourth day, causing production loss of around 200 tonne a day, management and union made contradictory claims today.

The company said it was talking to the striking workers, which the union denied.

"The situation is the same as yesterday. There is no production going on at our Nashik facility. We are constantly in touch with the union leaders and hope to resolve the crisis at soon as possible," Ceat Tyre Executive Director Arnab Banerjee told PTI here.

But union president Praveen Mandhare said from Nashik that "there are no signs that management wants to have negotiations and end the strike."

He claimed he represented 1,600 employees, while the HR head Ulhas Deshpande said of the nearly 2,000 workers, 40% were on contractual employment (not unionised).

About Mandhare's claim that there was no dialogue, Banerjee said, "He may be referring to a formal meeting, which is yet to take place. We are conducting informal dialogue with the union representatives."

The flash strike started midnight September 29 following a tiff between an employee and a contractual worker over personal issues. The unions, which have been uncomfortable with contractual employment, then went on a flash strike.

Mandhare further said the unions' main demands were to end the labour contract given to one Sanjay Services, and remove the personnel manager at the plant, Rajendra Joshi.

But Banerjee said both the demands were unacceptable as the company had been employing contract workers for the past five years and there had not been any serious incidents. There were only two untoward incidents in five years, he said.

"I don't see any reason why such demands have to be met. HR manager Joshi is a very efficient person and there is no question of removing him. So is our view when it comes to the contractor Sanjay Services."

Company has hired 11 labour contractors.