A policeman unlocks a gate at the Hindustan Motors factory. Picture by Krishna Chandra Mishra

Uttarpara, May 10: Around 3,400 employees today resumed work at the Hindustan Motors’ Uttarpara plant after the month-long suspension of work was lifted.

“We are happy that over 75 per cent employees rejoined work, ignoring the Sangrami Shramik Karmachari Union’s strike,” said Shyamal Biswas, senior personnel manager of the company.

But Avash Munshi, the majority union’s general secretary, dismissed the claim. “Only 500 employees rejoined. Most of the workers stayed away to protest yesterday’s black deal,” he said.

According to Munshi, over 2,000 employees and their family members today participated in a march to Writers’ Buildings demanding chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s intervention.

“If 2,000 workers joined the march, how can the management claim that over 3,000 rejoined work?” he asked. However, police said around 500 employees and their families held a meeting at Rani Rashmoni Road.

The mood was upbeat on the factory premises. “We were earlier in favour of the strike. But realising that the striking union has no intention to end the deadlock, we entered the factory today. Had we continued with the strike, it would become difficult to feed our families,” said Sumit Das, an employee.