Jamshedpur: Tata Motors suspended production of heavy vehicles like trucks, tippers, and other multi-axle vehicles on Tuesday as part of the block closure.
According to officials of the company this was the fifth block closure in the month of August. Earlier, this month the company saw four such block closures wherein the production of heavy vehicles came to a grinding halt.
“It was a routine shutdown undertaken for necessary maintenance activities. It will also help in streamlining stock at the company. Only limited workmen associated with emergency services have been called for work during the block closure. They will have to be present otherwise full day’s salary will be deducted for the absent employees or officers and the day will be counted as employees’ leave,” said the official.
Sources revealed that the company was prompted to undertake block closure, due to declining work order.
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.
Vendors are facing perhaps their toughest challenge yet, with orders coming down to a mere trickle, even as principals such as Tata Motors have drastically cut production to tide over tough times.
According to information, these industrial units are also taking elaborate measures to control costs. Many have reduced the use of commercial generators at their premises. Other facilities like use of company vehicles are also being restricted. Plans are also being made to introduce a no work half payment policy for the workers whose job is permanent in nature and also reduce the fringe benefits given to the officials.
The slowdown has affected scores of industrial workers employed in the country’s densely populated ancillary hub at Adityapur in the neighbouring Seraikela-Kharsawan district.
During the pandemic, several workers have been retrenched from jobs owing to abnormal cuts in the work order from the global automobile companies.
