These Car Makers Face Temporary Factory Shutdowns in India Amid Covid Fears

As the rate of COVID-19 infections continue to increase in India, automakers Renault, as well as its alliance partner Nissan Motor and Hyundai Motor, are facing temporary factory closures.

According to a CNBC report, workers at Renault-Nissan’s car plant in the southern state of Tamil Nadu are going on strike on Wednesday because their Covid-related safety demands have not been met. Aunion representing the workers told the company about their planned actions in a letter on Monday.

Hyundai too said it would suspend operations at Tamil Nadu plant, for five days starting Tuesday. The automaker’s announcement comes after several workers staged a brief, sit-in protest on Monday amid rising cases in the state.

“The management agreed to close the plant after workers expressed concerns over safety after two employees succumbed to Covid,” said E. Muthukumar, president of the Hyundai Motor India Employees Union, to Reuters.

Tamil Nadu is one of the worst-hit states in India with more than 30,000 cases of Coronavirus a day last week. While the state had imposed a lockdown until May 31, it still allowed some factories, including auto plants, to continue operating.

A court hearing took place on Monday regarding allegations from Renault-Nissan workers over health policies. A lawyer at the hearing for the workers argued that while the company had reduced the number of shifts, production numbers had not been cut and the headcount remained the same leading to crowding on the factory floor.

Renault-Nissan has said it is following Covid-19 safety protocols and had reduced the workforce to around 5,000 from 8,000. It also said it had vaccinated employees over 45 and was willing to inoculate those under 45 if vaccines were made available.

“The production should have fallen … You also have to assuage the feeling of the workers,” said the court, which will next hear the case on May 31.

The union, which represents about 3,500 workers at the plant, said in its May 24 letter to Renault-Nissan that workers would not return until they felt safe.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.