Retrenched HM workers demand 'job or land back'

Chennai: The hunger strike by the retrenched workers of Hindustan Motors/Hindustan Motor Finance Corporation Ltd entered second day, said H. Ismail, one of the retrenched workers whose grandfather's land was acquired by Hindustan Motors in 1968. "About 50 people are on hunger strike on Tuesday morning and more people are joining. We began the hunger strike on Monday," Ismail told IANS.

According to him, the strike is being held outside the PCA Automobiles India Private Ltd that rolls out Citroen cars. With nearly five months gone after the assurance given by the DMK government that their issues would be soon sorted out, the retrenched workers have decided to launch an indefinite hunger strike. Ismail said the government in October 2021 had assured them that their issues would be sorted out soon and hence they had wound up their protest then.However, nothing has happened after that and their matter has been sent to the state labour department, he said.

"It is the Tiruvallur district administration that should be involved. Sending the issue to the Labour Department is nothing but side tracking the matter," Ismail added. Carmaker PCA Automobiles located in Tiruvallur is a joint venture between global automotive manufacturer Stellantis Group and India's C.K. Birla group.Hindustan Motors Ltd/Hindustan Motor Finance belonged to the C.K. Birla group.

The workers were earlier employed by Hindustan Motors Ltd/Hindustan Motor Finance Corporation Ltd. at its Tiruvallur car plant rolling out Japanese Mitsubishi Motors Corporation's models like Lancer, Pajero and also under contract manufacturing deal for Isuzu Motors MU 7 model.