PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, June 22: A three-day block closure began at the Jamshedpur plant of Tata Motors and Tata Cummins on Wednesday.
The Jamshedpur plant of the auto major produces heavy commercial vehicles like trucks, trailers, tippers, buses and other multi-axle vehicles while Tata Cummins make engines for heavy vehicles.
Both the companies will remain shut till Friday (June 24 ), as per an internal communication sent to its employees. They have been asked to report for duty on June 25 which is a Saturday as June 26 is Sunday, which is a weekly holiday.
A Tata Motors official said that it is a routine closure undertaken for necessary maintenance activities.
The workmen affected by block closure shall avail their privilege or casual leave for 50 per cent of the day and for the remaining half of the period they shall be paid their normal wages/salary by the company.
Industry sources said the three-day closure was also aimed at preventing unnecessary build-up of inventory in the company as well as at dealers’ end.
Officials of Tata Motors Workers’ Union said the production of commercial vehicles has come down which prompted the company to go for block closure.
Production in Tata Motors ancillary units at Adityapur in the adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district was also severely affected due to the block closure.
Most of the ancillary units remained non-operational while others had to reduce their shifts.
Union officials said that the work order of the company has come down prompting the company to undertake block closure.
Last year, Tata Motors had witnessed a series of block closures between April-May due to a fall in orders.
