Toyota workers arrested in Bangalore, strike continues (Hindustan Times)
"Hundreds of workers of the Toyota Kirloskar plant in Bidadi near here, were arrested today after they continued their strike even as the company lifted the factory lockout.
"On January 8, the Toyota Motor Corporation had declared an indefinite lockout at its plant after a strike by workers following the dismissal of three of their fellow workers.
"The workers, however, said that since the company wanted them to accept formally their mistake and stand against the office-bearers, they decided to continue the strike."
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Labor rigidity in India keeps firms on edge by Saritha Rai (International Herald Tribune)
"A recent strike at the Indian unit of Toyota Motor is officially over, but the carmaker's problems with labor are still simmering behind the scenes, providing a cautionary tale to the wave of foreign companies setting up shop in one of Asia's fastest-growing economies.
"A two-week strike at the 2,350-employee plant here in January cost Toyota 900 Corolla and Innova cars. The carmaker is now trying to make up for lost time by running double shifts. An ensuing court battle could last two years, and some employees this week began taking turns fasting at the factory gates in protest.
[...]
"The strike has also led to doubts about the country's allure as a destination for foreign manufacturers. Foreign direct investment in India rose to $6 billion in 2005 from $5.3 billion in 2004. Many experts say India, already attractive for its cheap labor and its engineering skills, could bring in even more foreign companies if it could free its labor market of red tape.
[...]
"The Toyota strike is not an isolated incident. In the middle of last year, in the Gurgaon suburbs of New Delhi, there was a violent confrontation between the police and disgruntled workers of Honda Motorcycles & Scooters India, owned by Honda of Japan. Workers demanding a raise tried to form a labor union, but management fired four union leaders and suspended 50 workers.When the workers went on strike to demand that their colleagues be reinstated, a clash with the police led to 700 injured workers, and the episode was broadcast worldwide."—see anti-caste: POLICE REPRESSION OF HONDA WORKERS IN GURGAON, HARYANA (August 13, 2005)
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