Indefinite strike at Bosch ends after wage settlement

The company has also offered to confirm 100 of the 370 temporary workmen at a new intermediate wage level despite the fact that in future it is likely to have excess manpower because of change in product mix, the statement said.

The indefinite strike by Bosch Limited employees in Bengaluru since September 16 has ended after conclusion of a wage settlement for 2013-16 with the union, the company announced on Tuesday.

Bosch Limited's Bengaluru plant reached the settlement with its Workmen Union-Mico Employees' Association on December 8 and, with this, the prolonged "illegal" strike called by the Union comes to an end, it said.

The Workmen Union has agreed to accept the company's last offered wage and benefits proposal that would enable the earning potential - the monthly cost-to-company -- of an average workman to increase from Rs 64,000 to Rs 86,000, subject to working as per industrial engineering standards for 7.5 hours of work in an eight-hour shift.

With this mutually agreed wage settlement, Bosch Limited's Bengaluru plant will continue to be one of the best paymasters in the manufacturing and other comparable industries, the company said in a statement.

The company has also offered to confirm 100 of the 370 temporary workmen at a new intermediate wage level despite the fact that in future it is likely to have excess manpower because of change in product mix, the statement said.

"I am pleased to see all our workmen resume production. Despite the adverse effect of the strike, the company has made a generous offer to its Workmen Union and expects them to adhere to the agreed measures on productivity standards," Steffen Berns, managing director of Bosch Limited, said.

Bosch would continue its efforts towards establishing a trustful collaboration with its workmen and jointly finding a way to help the company in maintaining its competitiveness.

"This settlement is a step towards securing the future of our Bengaluru plant. We would like to reaffirm our commitment to India and its strong growth potential," he said.

The workers were on an indefinite strike from September 16 seeking resolution of their charter of demands, including wage issues, medical benefits, and on the issue of demand for productivity by the management.

The union had claimed that 2,575 permanent workers and 370 temporary workers were part of the strike, which the company had called illegal.