Workers of the Samsung India Electronics factory take a fellow worker for medical assistance during their strike at Sriperumbudur, in Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Chennai: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) dispensation in Tamil Nadu is struggling to resolve the disputes between a section of employees of Samsung India plant near here and their management as the protest by workers entered its second month on Wednesday.
While the police cracked down on the agitating workers by dismantling the protest shed and swooping down on their homes, the government made a passionate appeal to them to call off the strike and return to work in the “larger interests” of the state, which it said, was one of the top destinations for investments.
The workers were released from police custody Wednesday afternoon after a magistrate refused to remand them. Wednesday also saw CITU moving the Madras High Court against the arrest of the workers with the judges maintaining that there is no bar on peaceful protests.
The police crackdown, which included the arrest of CITU state leader A Soundararajan and his colleagues from near the Samsung India plant in Sunguvarchatiram, triggered a massive row with allies of the DMK -- CPI, CPI (M), VCK, and Tamizhaga Vazhurimai Katchi (TVK) – coming out in support of the protesting employees. Film director Pa Ranjith too joined the bandwagon to condemn the police action against employees, while Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami sought to know whether Chief Minister M K Stalin’s "love for labourers begins and ends on the May Day".
On their part, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) called for an “early and amicable solution” to the industrial dispute. Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said except recognition of the Samsung India Workers Union, all other demands of the workers have been met by the company, while asking the employees to call off their strike which is on since September 9.
“We appeal to them to call off the strike in the interests of the state’s youth who are looking for jobs. We don’t want to send a wrong signal (to investors). The government has been considerate to the demands of the workers and facilitated talks between them and the management. We are not politicising the issue,” Thennarasu said.
The minister also dismissed rumours that Samsung was planning to shift its operations to Uttar Pradesh or Andhra Pradesh. “These are mere rumours and there is no need to believe them. Tamil Nadu offers the best climate for investors and we will continue to attract fresh investments into the state,” he added.
Thennarasu gave a chronology of events that led to the employees launching a strike on September 9 after Samsung management failed to recognise the union. “The employees submitted a petition to the Joint Commissioner of Labour on July 2, 2024 and the application was accepted by the District Labour Commissioner on July 7. However, Samsung filed an objection to the application and the matter is now in court. Except the union, other demands have been met,” he added.
CITU leaders alleged that police stormed the houses of Samsung employees late Tuesday night and arrested them. This was to prevent them from coming to the protest site, where leaders of several political parties were scheduled to meet them on Wednesday.
“This crackdown is unacceptable and should be stopped immediately. The government, unfortunately, is taking the side of Samsung,” CITU leader A Soundararajan said, before he was arrested on Wednesday morning. CITU also shared videos of police stopping buses to check whether protesting Samsung employees were travelling in them.
Employees of Samsung have been protesting since September 9 demanding recognition of the Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) and “fair pay".
The strike created national headlines with the Union Government writing to the Tamil Nadu government to resolve the issue at the earliest. Stalin stepped in to diffuse the situation on Saturday by deputing three senior ministers to sort out the issue after several rounds of talks between the employees and the Labour Department failed.
Thennarasu listed some of the salient features of the MoA like an interim special incentive equivalent to Rs 5,000 per month for employees from October 2024 to March 2025 and upgradation of several infrastructure facilities within the plant to appeal to CITU-affiliated workers to return to work.
The development comes at a time when the Tamil Nadu government is bullish on attracting investments in several sectors, especially electronics. Global technology giant Cisco launched production from the Flex factory last week, while Jabil is setting up a plant in Tiruchirapalli. Moreover, Tamil Nadu is home to key Apple Inc suppliers like Foxconn, Pegatron, and Tata Electronics.