Royal Enfield workers strike again at the Oragadam plant

Royal Enfield workers at the company's Oragadam plant near Chennai have gone on a strike once again. This is the second strike by RE workers, within three months.

The Working People's Trade Union Council issued the strike notice on 12 February. Reportedly, the workers are unhappy with the progress of wage hike negotiations and re-designation of some employees as permanent staff. The employee’s union had embarked on a 50-day strike in late 2018, which affected the production capacity at the facility.

Commenting on the workers' strike, the company announced:

Royal Enfield remains deeply committed, as always in the past, to maintain respectful relationships with all employees. We believe an engaged workforce and cordial industrial relations, create a culture of excellence where all employees are proud of their contributions to the organisation. It is unfortunate that a certain section of our workforce has resorted to an illegal strike at our Oragadam plant in Chennai despite the company's best efforts and positive intentions. We have been working closely with our workforce and have undertaken various constructive and confidence-building initiatives.

Royal Enfield has further announced that the workers' strike has affected the Oragadam plant, while other plants in Vallam Vadagaland and Tiruvottiyur, continue to remain completely operational. The company further revealed that the majority of its workforce at the Oragadam plant reported to work, despite the strike. The company also announced:

We are focused on resolving all issues in an amicable manner while keeping the best interests of the organization and our workforce in mind.

Also Read: Royal Enfield 650 Twins waiting period rises to 6 months; Production ramped-up

The previous workers strike at Royal Enfield's Oragadam plant resulted in a production loss of around 28,000 units for the company between 24 September and 12 November 2018. The Royal Enfield 650 Twins were launched in India shortly after the strike ended. The 650 Twins have been received well in the markets around the world, and the motorcycles command a waiting period of up to 6 months. It remains to be seen whether the waiting period of the 650 twins rises due to the strike.