The standoff between the management of Bosch Ltd and the workers continues as the second round of conciliation talks between the employees' union and the company before the Additional Labour Commissioner of Karnataka failed, according to Mr Raghavendra, executive committee member of the MICO Employees' Association (MEA).

The workers at the Adugodi plant of Bosch, have been fighting the company's move to outsource manufacturing of certain products made at the plant, and have been on a ‘Tool Down strike' and a relay hunger strike for over a week now.

“The MEA suggested at the meeting this morning that since each party was firm on its stand, we could either go in for arbitration over the next few months or for adjudication with the Industries Tribunal or any other suitable court to resolve the matter, but the Bosch management didn't agree to this,” Mr Raghavendra told Business Line .

There will be no more talks with the Additional Labour Commissioner of Karnataka; he will give a report on the proceedings and it is not up to the Government to direct the company and the MEA to arbitration, adjudication or any other means of resolving the issue, he added.

“The employees asked for conditions to be fulfilled before they call off the strike, and the management has not agreed to it,” a Bosch spokesperson told Business Line . “The issue is under negotiation and the Labour Commissioner has said that the report will be submitted to the Government on Wednesday for further processing,” he added.

Related Topics