Toyota Kirloskar Workers Union (TKMEU) on Wednesday alleged the company is using apprentices and contractors as alternate work force in line of production, as the deadlock between the management and the union continues over the lockout at two plants at Bidadi near here.
"Permanent workers are kept out and apprentices, contract workers are being used by the management as the alternate work force to run the units for production," TKMEU President Prasanna Kumar told the news agency.
In response to a question he said "contract workers, apprentices and supervisors all together around 3,000 employees are being used to run the plant; ....There are about 1,700 apprentices." "They are able to run one shift; ....Unskilled workers are being engaged in direct line of production without proper training," he added.