 Tamil Nadu, like the rest of the country, is reeling under the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to deal with this crisis, the state government has implemented a near-complete lockdown in the state. But this time, permission has been granted to many manufacturing and commercial establishments under the essential and continuous process industries category to operate during this lockdown. As such, automobile manufacturing and auto spare parts companies in the state are currently functioning. We spoke with S. Kannan, State Deputy Secretary of the CITU about the functioning of automobile manufacturing units. Even whether it is the DMTR, ADMTR, Congress or BJP or even Communist Party, over be in the power, they cannot consider this automobile industry as an essential service. It is not milk, it is not rice, it is not pharmaceutical company or it is not medicinal impact. So, we can't consider this. Our approach to the government, our approach to the legislative making bodies to withdraw this consideration so that people's right can be saved. The state being the automobile manufacturing hub of India, several leading multinational companies like Renault, Nissan, Hyundai, Nissan, Royal Enfield, MRF and Yamaha are operating in and around Chennai alone. Most of these companies, however, have become the hub of COVID-19 infections with many workers succumbed to the disease and more getting infected. The workers union at Renault-Nissan called the Renault-Nissan India, Tori Lalar Sangam has filed a repetition at the Madras High Court, requesting the government to remove the automobile industries from the list of continuous process industries. The petition also seeks appropriate compensation for the COVID-affected workers. During the hearing on May 24, the court directed the state government that some kind of supervision must be maintained so that the workers are not forced to work in conditions that may put their health in danger. During this pandemic situation, there is a huge profit in the automobile industry in the suburban Chennai. There are major automobile industries like Hyundai, Renault-Nissan, Ford, BMW, Maindra also, we have a unit here, lots of ancillary units which are functioning in in this surrounding, particularly the suburban city, Slippermudur, Changalpert, Sriballur districts. In this district, near about 800 to 900 industries are there. In the industry, COVID-19 virus also spreading over, particularly in Kundai, near about 600 employees have been affected by the virus, as well as six employees have met their death. Among them, stop category employees also there, contract employees also there, trainee employees also there, permanent employees also there. Even the management, ready to extend its hand for the treatment, people are having a lot of sufferings. This virus not only infected to the employees, it spread over to the family members nearby area. In such a way, people are affected by this virus. Hence, our union in this Hyundai Motor India Employees Union in CITU, we have demanded the new government to close the factory for the two weeks or one month with the salary, because thousands of employees are working in the factory. But our government and the management, labor department, not ready to adhere this issue. It is comparatively, we feel it is bad. It is too unfortunate, also. Because of that, day before yesterday, Sunday and Saturday, in Kundai, two deaths have occurred. In Nissan, two deaths have occurred. Due to that, people afraid a lot. They were in panic condition, not only of this virus, but also because of the death. Hence, they went and approached the management to close the factory for two weeks. Now, employees and factory management have arrived at the settlement to close the factory for five days with the wage. This reflected to the other companies also. Meanwhile, at the Hyundai Motor India plant located in Irungottapkote, employees staged a protest in their unit, demanding shutdown of the production plant immediately. They have alleged that the Hyundai automobile manufacturing unit is running without following appropriate COVID-19 protocols. Some other companies have also suspended their production following protests by employees' unions. Newsclick approached a few of these employees over phone to find out the current status. The company has been suspended for seven days. Not only that, many parents of MLA's family have been suspended for several days. Since the second wave has started, many people have not been admitted to the hospital. For many reasons, they have been suspended. When we face such a complicated situation, we have to ask the company's unions to get out of the hospital. At the moment, all the facilities have been applied to the entire city. Now, there is a problem with the MLA and the public sector. Because it is very difficult to buy vegetables and keep them at home. If you work in the company, you will not be able to come to the company. The company bus goes from four cities to four cities, and the employee comes from those four cities to the company. The employee comes from each area and comes to the company, and the employee comes from those four cities to the company. The employee comes from the second area and comes to the company, and the employee's family is affected. The parents are alive at that age. This is why we have a lot of work to do. During this lockdown, when you have to go to the hospital, when you have to go out, when you have to run the company, when you have to run the company, you have to run the company, and when you have to run the company, you have to run the company. Now today, some tire industry people also went on absenteeism. Nissan people also expressed their opinion to go on complete absenteeism. In such a way, the people are involved in the protest to close the industry for two weeks. Here, on behalf of CITU, we reiterate to the Tamil Nadu government as well as the labour department, and also we demand the management kindly close the industry for two weeks. With the salary, this will help the industry for the sustainment of the development, sustainment of the production. Hence, these three people, management, labour department and government of Tamil Nadu have to adhere to CITU's demand. These manufacturing companies have chosen to focus on production and profitability amid the raging pandemic. A clear sign of how capitalistic forces function, whether the government will take any action remains to be seen.