Toyota talks fail, next meet on Jan 16

Conciliatory talks between Toyota Kirloskar management and the union on Thursday failed to reach any conclusive stage as the former sought time till January 16 to contemplate the suggestions of the labour department.

The management and the union held separate meetings with the labour department to resolve the issue of agitating workers, on strike since January 6 to protest the dismissal of three union members and the company's subsequent decision, declaring an indefinite lockout on January 8 in response to the snap strike.

"We had sought a joint meeting with the management, which it refused and hence we were forced to hold separate talks with the conciliatory officers", the CITU state committee general secretary, Meenakshi Sundaram told PTI.

"The labour commissioner put forward three suggestions which were accepted by the union, but rejected by the management which sought time till January 16 to arrive at a decision," he said.

The suggestions included immediate withdrawal of the strike by the union, lifting up of the lockout by the management with immediate effect and keeping in abeyance the dismissal of the three workers till the court's decision on the matter, Sundaram said.