Ford employees protest in TN, demand govt’s intervention

A section of employees at the manufacturing facility of auto maker Ford India near Chennai on Tuesday staged a protest against the decision of the Us-based company to close the factory and sought the intervention of the Tamil Nadu government, Union sources said. Chief Minister M K Stalin, Industries minister Thangam Thennarasu and senior government officials reportedly held a meeting at the Secretariat to decide on further course of action. In a statement, the Chennai Ford Employees Union expressed 'shock' over the decision to shut the manufacturing unit and demanded that the management take alternative steps towards ensuring that the livelihood of the nearly 2,700 employees does not get affected. The Union urged the company not to close the facility and in the exigency of a closure, it should ensure the management accommodates the employees to another production unit so that livelihood of the employees does not get affected. A meeting between the employees and management held over the last two days did not yield desired results which lead to the protest by employees