Samsung workers decide to call off strike, ready to resume work: Tamil Nadu govt

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 15 (ANI): The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday said that the workers’ strike at Samsung India’s plant near Chennai has been called off and the workers have decided to resume work.

According to the statement from the Tamil Nadu government, as the Samsung workers were participating in a strike from September 9, the Hon’ble Chief Minister instructed to resolve the strike amicably at the earliest.

“In accordance with the instructions of the Hon’ble Chief Minister, the Minister for PWD, Highways and Minor Ports, the Minister for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, the Hon’ble Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development and the Minister for Industries along with officials from various departments conducted meetings with concerned parties at various stages. As a consequence Samsung Management announced several welfare measures in the interest of the workers,” the government said.

The management of Samsung India announced several measures in the interest of the workers, as per the communication by the State Labour Department.

“Consequently, on October 15, 2024, conciliation talks were held before the officials of the Department of Labour Welfare. During the conciliation talks, representatives from both the management and the striking workers participated and the following decisions were arrived at, all the striking workers will immediately to call off the strike and return to work. On returning to work the management not to victimise the workers only for having participated in the strike. After returning to work, the workers to cooperate with the management fully and not do any such acts prejudicial to the interest of the Management,” it stated.

The management will file a written reply to the charter of demands filed by the workers before the conciliation officer.

“Both the parties have accepted this advice. The workers informed that they would call off the strike immediately and return to work. Thus the strike at the Samsung factory has come to an end and all the workers are resuming work,” the government said.

The Samsung factory is located in Sunguvarchatiram in Kanchipuram district which is on the outskirts of Chennai. More than 1500 workers are working, and since September 9, they have been engaged in a continuous protest, insisting on a wage hike, union recognition, and 8-hour working hours.