Saturday, January 21 2006 14:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Toyota-Kirloskar Motor Limited today (Jan 21,2006) resumed production at its plant in Bidadi district with 200 workers reporting to work at the plant this morning following lifting up of the lock out today.

"During the strike the management had received several requests from a majority of the workmen and their families, who wanted to return to the plant and did not want to be part of the `illegal' and `unjustified' strike. Considering the interest of its workmen and its business the management decided to lift the lock out ", a company statement said.

Over 200 workers resumed work at this plant, after signing 'the good conduct' declaration, A R Shankar, General Manager Corporate Planning, TKM said.

"We have also got calls from members informing us that they were on their way to work. They were apprehensive of the threat of violence from the Union. However, we expect most of the team members to attend work in a few days", he said.

Meanwhile, over 500 union members had been detained at Ulsoor gate this morning on charges of unlawful assembly, police said, "The workers had broken the prohibitory order by assembling near the Vidhan Soudha and hence were detained", a senior police official said today.

Describing the claim of 200 workers turning up on duty as bogus, R Ravi, Joint Secretary of the TKM union said. said, "Only 60 people turned up for duty. The management has roped in some local people and provided them with some proxy identify cards to display larger numbers" he said.

The management had imposed an indefinite lockout on January eight in response to the snap strike called by the union on January six to protest dismissal of three workers.