Monday, January 9 2006 18:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Peace talks between the management of Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM), which has declared an indefinite lock-out and striking employees failed to materialise today after the company officials refused to go to the Labour Department office citing security concerns.

"The situation outside the Labour Department is very tense as around 400 workers are shouting slogans against the management. We feel that sufficient police force is not there and thus have requested for the adjournment of the meeting," TKM General Manager (Corporate Planning Division) A R Shankar told sources from Bangalore.

The two sides were to meet the Deputy Labour Commissioner to end the impasse arising out of the company's refusal to reinstate three dismissed workers.

"We do not compromise on discipline," Shankar said, making it clear that the company was in no mood to bow to the workers demand.

He pointed out that the company had successfully adopted a similar stance in 2002, even as it lost production, when the workers had demanded that two dismissed workers be taken back.

Asked about loss in production, he said the company was "capable of recovering" once the situation normalised.

The company management has requested the Labour department to fix another day for the meeting when talks could take place in a "congenial atmosphere."

Toyota had yesterday declared an indefinite lock-out of its unit here in the wake of the strike by its workers, who had gone on a snap strike from January 6.