Workers of a Samsung facility listen to a speaker during a strike to demand higher wages at its Sriperumbudur plant near the city of Chennai.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Chennai: Workers affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) at the Samsung India manufacturing plant continued with their strike on Tuesday, a day after the South Korean electronics major said it has reached a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with its employees to resolve the 30-day-long standoff.
The Tamil Nadu government, which negotiated the terms of the MoA, appealed to the workers of the Samsung plant in Sunguvarchatiram in Kanchipuram district to immediately call off their strike and rejoin work in the “interest of the state and other workers of the factory”.
CITU leader E Muthukumar, who posted pictures of the strike entering its 30th day on social media, alleged that Samsung management signed the MoA with workers who are not participating in the strike. CITU leaders also alleged that police are also asking protesters not to join the agitation and return to work.
Employees of Samsung have been protesting outside the plan since September 9 demanding recognition of the Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) and “fair pay.” “We will talk to Samsung management only when the Union is recognised,” Muthukumar, president of SIWU, said.
The strike created national headlines with the Union Government writing to the Tamil Nadu government to resolve the issue at the earliest. Chief Minister M K 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 Labour Department which failed.
Industries Minister T R B Raaja, who held multiple rounds of talks with the management and employees of Samsung, said “recognition” of the SIWU is the only demand that has not been met by the company due to an ongoing case in the court.
“Except the demand vis-à-vis recognising the Union, every other demand put forth by employees have been met by Samsung management. It cannot be met because the matter is sub-judice. The company has said that the matter can be decided once the court pronounces its verdict,” Raaja said.
The minister 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.”
“Employees working at the factory want the strike to be called off. We should factor in their concerns too. Most of the protesters are youngsters and they should understand that they are losing their pay, which is affecting their families. Since most of their demands have been met, I appeal to the comrades to call off their strike,” he said.
Diversify the cafeteria menu, increase in meal allowances, upgrading break rooms and restrooms in the manufacturing building, installation of canopies between buildings, enhancing the number the vacations that can be availed by the workmen, and launch the "MD's People First Promise” are some of the salient features of the MoA.
The development comes at a time 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.