Toyota lifts lockout at unit

Workers at the plant went on strike on January 6 following the dismissal of three workers the previous day. Ten others were also suspended, pending investigation into acts of misconduct, including an assault on a supervisor in 2004, Toyota said.

Hundreds of workers had blocked the road to the factory two weeks ago, demanding revocation of their colleagues8217; dismissals. About 60 per cent of the factory8217;s 2,350 workers are part of the plant8217;s union. Toyota did not yield ground during its wrangling with the union, describing the strike as unjustified and illegal.

Toyota also said it had initiated disciplinary action against some workers for violent incidents during the strike.

Toyota Kirloskar has invested nearly Rs 150 crore in its Bidadi plant, which started production in December 1999 and has a capacity of 60,000 units annually. Toyota makes the Corolla car and the Innova in the plant, and sold more than 42,000 vehicles in India in 2005.

The Toyota strike and lockout added fresh fuel to a debate on prospects for Japanese investment in India. It followed a labour dispute last July, when hundreds of striking workers at the Indian motorcycle and scooters unit of Honda Motor Co. clashed violently with police near New Delhi, resulting in a production loss of at least 57 million.