Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the role of non‐violent protest ( satyagraha ) in a multinational automobile plant in India that has suffered from considerable employee relations problems. Design/methodology/approach The paper employs a case study of a Japanese‐owned company using data obtained from 30 personal interviews and from internet media sources. Findings It is found that workers initially pursued their protests through satyagraha ‐style methods before taking on a more violent posture when company management refused to accept any notion of jointly seeking a new harmony. The reasons for these developments are explored. Practical implications The paper has implications for the manner in which scholars and practitioners view the respective roles, significance, and management of satyagraha and non‐ satyagraha protest in Indian companies. Originality/value The importance of satyagraha in Indian employee relations is under‐researched in comparison with other factors, and is especially significant for culturally‐unaware multinational companies in successfully understanding and managing protest in the workplace context.