Chennai, October 31, 2012: A workers’ strike by 130 members of the Hyundai Motors India Employees Union (HMIEU) lasting 78 minutes affected car production at the Hyundai Motor India Ltd’s (HMIL) factory in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai on Tuesday, October 30. The halt in manufacturing resulted in a production loss of 59 cars, according to an official release by the company. The company went on to call this strike “illegal action.”

Just two weeks ago, HMIL signed a landmark wage agreement with the only workers’ union it recognises officially, the United Union of Hyundai Employees (UUHE). Of the 2,007 permanent employees in the factory, 1,300 are part of the UUHE.

Regarding the strike on October 30 by HMIEU, the company said, “The illegal action by this minority section of the workers has violated the unanimous decision of the Tripartite Committee dated 9.12.2010 and ratified by the Labour Department of Tamil Nadu. An injunction dated April 28, 2009 was also issued to HMIEU by the judicial magistrate, Sriperumbudur, restraining HMIEU from holding any strike, demonstration, unlawful activities, gheraoing etc within the factory premises and within 100 metres of radius of the factory premises.”

KARTHIK H