PANAJI
In symptoms of the economic distress unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic currently playing out, Automobile Corporation of Goa Limited (ACGL) has given a temporary 15-day lay-off to 260 of its regular workers invoking the no-work-no-pay principle.
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) listed ACGL, partly controlled by the State-owned lender Economic Development Corporation (EDC), has cited lack of business and work at its Honda-Sattari facility for the move.
The matter is before the State Labour Commissioner's office after the Honda-based bus body-building company's management informed the department as mandated by labour laws.
ACGL was set up in the early 1980s, jointly promoted by Tata Motors and EDC and is a major employer in eastern Goa.
It was the first major engineering unit to be set up in Goa and manufactures sheet metal components, assemblies and bus coaches at its factories situated at Honda and Bhuimpal.
It also has a 'Press Shop' at Jejuri, Pune and is a major supplier of pressings and accessories to Tata Motors' Pune facility.
It set up the bus-building division after a collaboration with Japan's Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd, makers of Subaru car for various models of chassis mounted bus bodies.
