Chennai: Samsung workers’ strike continues for the 12th day, protestors demand wage hike, union recognition

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 21 (ANI): The Samsung employees’ protest entered its 12th day at Sungavachatiram near Sriperambathur on the outskirts of Chennai in Kanchipuram District.

More than 1500 employees are working in Samsung India which is located at Sunguvarchatram area , Kanchipuram district, with some workers holding a continuous strike demanding higher wages, union recognition and an eight hour work day.

Earlier, Muthukumar, CITU, Tamil Nadu State Secretary, said that the Samsung management has initiated a case in the Kanchipuram court that the protestors should sit 500 meters away from the premises, while they are already sitting two kms away.

Muthukumar said, “The Samsung management has initiated a case in the Kanchipuram court that we should sit 500 metres away from their premises but we are nearly two kms away and blamed us saying that the striking employees have been indulging in brainwashing the employees who have been going to work.”

The trade unions have informed that the protests will continue until the demands are fulfilled.

CITU Tamil Nadu Secretary said earlier that the management had asked the workers to disband the union, and was hindering the recognition of unions by raising various complaints.

The workers, led by union head E. Muthukumar, have been demanding better wages and improved working conditions. Hundreds of striking Samsung employees have been sitting outside the plant in their company uniforms.

Muthukumar said, “Our demands were not met and the management has urged us to disband the union. They are hindering the recognition of the union by raising complaints. When the union decided to stop overtime, the management forced employees to work overtime for up to 11 hours.”

The first and second rounds of talks had failed with the state labour department and labour minister in the Secretariat earlier. On Monday, the protestors were detained when they entered Kanchipuram. They were later released in the late evening. A case was filed against more than 100 employees.