Manufacturing plants run by Ford and Hyundai near Chennai were shut this week after workers protested over unsafe working conditions.
Renault-Nissan shut its manufacturing unit after workers threatened to boycott work, saying social distancing norms were being flouted, while Eicher Motors-owned Royal Enfield shut its three units over safety concerns.
Union sources at Hyundai, Ford and Renault-Nissan said they were continuing to talk with the companies.
“We are scared about working. The company is citing government orders and asking us to report for work. The government needs to think about the welfare of workers,” a senior union leader at Hyundai said.
Tamil Nadu’s government also gave permission for units near Chennai with export orders, such as construction and mining equipment maker Caterpillar and Taiwan electronics manufacturer Foxconn, to operate their plants with 50 percent worker capacity.
Global automakers operating in Chennai have said they will prioritize worker safety and adherence to social-distancing protocols.
“Health and safety of our societies, partners and employees is our topmost priority,” Biju Balendran, managing director at Renault-Nissan India, said in a statement earlier this week.
