Tuticorin turmoil and other big industrial riots that hit India

A scuffle broke out between the police and protestors over Sterlite Industries in Tamil Nadu killing eleven people. We look at some of the industrial strikes and lockouts over the years

All industrial conflict, including strikes, arises due to discontent and frustration among workers. In India, strikes, lockouts and the resultant loss have seen a dip in the last few years, which has come as a boost for the country's investment climate and ranking in the World Bank's ease of doing business index.

Incidents of strikes, lockouts and the resultant loss of mandays have gone down during the past three years. The number of strikes across industrial units fell to 80 in 2017 from 86 in the same period of 2016 and 97 in 2015. The cumulative number of affected workers were 6,15,350 in 2017; it was 5,65,798 in 2016 and 7,40,524 in 2015.

Though most sectors have seen labour unions growing in size and by number, the number of strikes and lockouts have almost halved. The NDA government took up the long-pending labour reforms to ensure the ease of doing business. The recent Budget has extended fixed-term employment, which used to exist in the garment and leather industries, to other areas as well.

Sterlite violence, Tamil Nadu
Year: 2018
Sterlite Copper's industrial unit in Tuticorin saw violent unrest after locals in the area complained that the smelter was polluting ground water and emitting toxic fumes. Eleven people were killed and over 20 were injured as the violence spiraled. The plant, which was shut since March 27, is currently non-operational as it awaits approval to reopen and start production. Consent to operate has not been renewed by the state Pollution Control Board.

Tata Motors, Nano plant
Year: 2016
Around 300 workers at Tata Motors' Nano car plant at Sanand went on a flash strike on February 22, 2016, and allegedly vandalised cars inside the plant.
Angered by the suspension of co-workers for alleged misconduct, some abstained from work demanding reinstatement of the suspended workers. The stand-off between the management and the striking workers got cleared in two days after the company agreed to revoke the suspension of a few workers.

Coal India strike
Year: 2015
Worker unions at Coal India, which produces nearly 80 per cent of the coal produced in India, had gone on a five day strike on January 6, 2015, against Centre's decision of disinvestment and restructuring of Coal India. The strike was termed as the biggest industrial action seen in any sector since 1977.
The strike was supported by five leading trade unions in the country, including the BJP-backed Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS).
The strike saw thousands getting arrested for violence and disruption. In West Bengal alone, over 1,000 people were arrested after Left and Trinamool workers clashed. Around 300 people were taken into custody in different parts of Odisha too.

Toyota Motor Corporation strike
Year: 2014
Toyota's twin plants at Bidadi, Bangalore, was closed for 36 days owing to workers' strike for wage hike. The plants continued to work with 700-800 contract labourers. There was a 40 per cent decrease in production capacity. Eventually, the company delayed the delivery of cars such as Innova, Etios and Liva models.

Maruti Suzuki, Manesar unit
Year: 2012
The Maruti Suzuki plant in Manesar saw violent clashes between the workers and the managerial staff after a worker was suspended for misbehaving with his shop-floor supervisor. The workers burnt down the administration wing of the plant. One person, Awanish Kumar Dev, the general manager of human resources, died of burn injuries.
When police intervened, the workers injured nine policeman and nearly 100 managers, including two Japanese expatriates.

Rico Auto Industries
Year: 2009
India's automobile hub in the Gurgaon-Manesar belt saw a massive standstill when around 90,000 workers from different auto and auto component started protests in 2009. The protests started at Rico Auto Industries after an employee died during a protest by workers against the company management's earlier suspension of their colleagues.
At least 60 autos and component manufacturing units were severely affected and tremors felt globally. The strike left Ford Motor Company without transmission parts, forcing it to halt production temporarily at an Ontario plant that produced Edge sport-utility vehicles and at a Chicago plant that built Taurus sedans. General Motors had to cancel an SUV-production shift in Delta Township, Michigan, for a week.