By Venkatachari Jagannathan

Chennai, Jun 14 (IANS): Union leaders in the automotive industries are of the view that Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health should incorporate their views before submitting their inspection report to the Madras High Court.

The Court on Monday adjourned the Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd versus its worker's union case to June 21 as the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health had not submitted their inspection report of various car factories.

"In all fairness the state government team should also hear the worker's views. It is they who work on the ground and know what is possible and not possible," M. Moorthy, General Secretary, Renault Nissan India Thozhilalar Sangam (RNITS- worker's union), told IANS.

Continuing further he added earlier the High Court had ordered an inspection team to discuss with the workers to arrive at the changes in the car assembly line.

Similar views were voiced by a union leader in Hyundai Motor India Ltd.

"Basically, the case is all about violation of Covid-19 safety protocol. The union has gone to the court. Hence, equity demands that the views of workers in all the factories where the inspection was carried out should be reflected in the state government's report," a union leader in Hyundai Motor told IANS preferring anonymity.

Another Union official told IANS that many of the Covid-19 issues in Hyundai Motor have been discussed with the management and have been implemented.

"Ideally the inspection team should also discuss with the workers to arrive at a comprehensive and wholesome report. It is only the workers who know the issues at the ground level," a union official in Ford India told IANS.

The Madras High Court had on June 8 ordered the Directorate of Industrial Safety to visit the Renault Nissan Automotive's factory and also other comparable passenger vehicle makers located near here to arrive at a uniform Covid-19 safety guideline.

Accordingly, the state government officials had inspected the car plants of Renault Nissan Automotive India, Ford India, Hyundai Motor India last week to arrive at the uniform social distancing norms at the shopfloor level.

When the case came up for hearing, it was submitted that the state government is yet to submit its report.

Adjourning the case for June 21, the court ordered that the copy of the inspection report should be given to both the warring parties.

Office bearers of the worker unions in Renault Nissan, Ford India and Hyundai Motor had earlier told IANS that they were not consulted by the inspecting officials.