BIDADI, India, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Toyota Motor Corp. closed an Indian factory after a strike that began late last week over the disciplining of 13 workers.
Three employees were fired and 10 suspended for alleged violations of a conduct code, the company said. On Friday about 400 employees of the factory that makes Corollas and Camrys blocked the road leading to the Bangalore-area facility, the BBC reported Monday.
About 1,550 of the plant's 2,350 workers are affiliated with the union. The factory can make 60,000 vehicles per year.
"We were forced to declare a lockout because the safety of our officers and machines was threatened by the striking employees," said A.R. Shankar, general manager of Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts factory.
"We would like to restore normalcy as soon as possible, but at the same time we would not like to compromise on discipline," he said.
Workers' representatives and managers were set to meet early this week for talks.
