Renault-Nissan workers in India to strike over COVID safety demands

Workers at Renault-Nissan’s car plant in southern India have decided to go on strike on Wednesday as their COVID-related safety demands have not been met, a union representing the workers informed the company in a letter on Monday.

The strike threat at the plant in Tamil Nadu, jointly owned by Nissan Motor and alliance partner Renault, comes ahead of a court hearing over allegations from workers that social distancing norms were being violated and factory health policies did not adequately address the risk to lives.

“Due to unsafe working conditions and as the union demands have not been met … members of this union will not report to work from the first shift on Wednesday,” the union said in a letter dated May 24. The letter noted that workers would not return until they felt safe.

The union represents around 3,500 workers at the plant.

Nissan, which owns a most of the stake in the plant said the matter was in court.

Tamil Nadu has imposed a lockdown until May 31 but has permitted some factories, including auto plants, to continue operating.