No end in sight to 14-day-old strike at Ceat plant

The strike by workers at Ceat Tyre's plant entered the 14th day today and a meeting called to break the deadlock has been deferred to October 14.

The employees, numbering 1,600, went on a flash strike from September 29 following a tiff between a contractual labourer and a union worker.

The plant, where production has been badly affected, is located at Satpur industrial area near here.

A meeting was called today where Mumbai-based Senior Manager of Ceat Ulhas Deshpande, Deputy Labour Commissioner Arvind Patil and union representatives were suppose to discuss ways to end the stir.

However, the meeting could not take place as Deshpande was unable to arrive here, Ceat Union President Praveen Mandhare told PTI this evening.

The meeting will now take place on October 14, he added.

The union is demanding removal of Ceat's Personnel Manager Rajendra Joshi and end of the labour contract given to private firm Sanjay Services.

The Ceat management has said it was not willing to meet either of these demands.

The company rolls out around 200 tonne tyres of various types from the plant.