The Hyundai affair at Chennai is heating up day by day. Initially 32 workers were removed. They contested in the court and the verdict was favorable. The company filed counters. The 32 workers decided to go on fast from Wednesday, but the police foiled their bid by detaining 23 off them, on Wednesday at Chennai.

Inside the plant of the Indian subsidiary of the South Korean auto maker Hyundai, members of Hyundai Motor India Employees Union (HMIEU) continued their working fast for 17th day to press for various demands. According to HMIEU, the primary reason for the protest is the reduction of workforce on the assembly line and their redeployment in other works. Workers do not eat lunch or any food or drink anything (tea or coffee) while at work. Wearing black badges, they finish their work and go back home.

`The police denied permission to the dismissed workers to go on a protest fast. They have detained 23 persons in a choultry in Sriperumbudur. Whether they will be let out or not, will be known only later,’ says R.Gunasekaran, vice president of HMIEU. `The venue for the protest fast is where normally political and other meetings are held. The police have denied permission to us,’ R.Sridhar, HMIEU general secretary.

However, company management and members of the rival union United Union of Hyundai Employees (UUHE) have a different take on the matter. According to them, the protest against the redeployment of workforce is a ruse to press their other demands like the reinstatement of 32 dismissed workers and permission to hold union elections.