Toyota lifts lockout, plant to be operational from March 24

The four-day long ordeal that brought the production at Toyota’s facilities to a grinding halt seems to have come to an end. The company announced that production will commence from next week. This announcement followed after the company officials meeting with the labour groups and a local government mediator.

Around 17 workers have been suspended for alleged misconduct and indiscipline which includes threatening the management and purposeful assembly-line stoppages over the protests at two factories in Karnataka. However, the union representing the workers has called this decision as harsh and asked the company to cancel the suspensions.

"The decision (to lift lockout) was taken considering the inclination and in the interest of the majority of law-abiding team members," Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ltd said in a statement. 

The company has also asked the workers to submit an undertaking of good conduct before they resume work on Monday.

The last time Toyota had a lockout citing labour problems; production was halted for 15 days. This time around, the world’s largest car maker has come to a quick resolve after its announcement of lockout on March 16.  

Source: ET