NEARLY 1700 workers of Foxconn India Limited, a Taiwan based MNC, have started massive struggle from December 22 to save their jobs. It may become a long protest since the management has notified that it would offer severance package or VRS to THE workers. As announced last week, the entire workforce of the company gathered outside the company campus to protest against the closure of the facility located inside the Nokia SEZ at Sriperumbudur, on December 22 morning under the banner of Foxconn India Thozhilalargal Sangam (Foxconn India Employees Union) affiliated to the CITU. Its leaders S Kannan and E Muthukumar led the protest. The police were trying to sort out the problem by talking to the union and management. But it had failed. For the second successive day, on December 23 protesting workers tried to force their way into the factory, but the posse of policemen who stood guard took the workers into custody including A Soundararajan, CITU president and CPI(M) leader in the state assembly, who led the struggle on the second day. Later they were released. Foxconn had earlier announced that it would suspend operations from December 24 at its plant here due to a steep fall in orders in the wake of Nokia shutting its facility here. The workers' union, however, claimed that the management announced holiday on December 22-23, thus advancing the suspension by two days even as tripartite talks are going on, to reach at an amicable solution. Meanwhile, in a notice to employees, a copy of which was circulated to labour department, Sriperumbudur, Foxconn India said, "In order to reach for an amicable solution, it is now informed that the company has decided to offer VRS or severance package." As there is a situation that employees cannot be offered jobs, the company management has decided to give them salaries along with paid holidays, it said. With this announcement it was clear that the company was going ahead with its proposal to suspend production from December 24. Company security personnel prevented workers from entering the premises. So a tense situation prevailed. Foxconn India Employees Union (CITU) President, E Muthu Kumar said “it was accepted that till the third round of talks, there has to be status quo at the plant which means employees should be given jobs till that day. But the management stopped providing transport services, food and it has said today it will not allow the employees to enter”. The tripartite talks were actually scheduled for December 26. But due to the management’s negative attitude, they were held immediately. But it had yielded nothing. "We want jobs. We do not want the plant to be closed like Nokia's facility", E Muthukumar said. The Foxconn management refused to accede to the Employees Union demand for opening the factory on December 23, even after labour authorities tried to persuade them. In this background, the workers union has decided to continue its struggle. Meanwhile, in all districts across Tamil Nadu, CITU units held protest in support of Foxconn workers. Thousands participated.