Chennai ,April 3,2025
Samsung India employees’ union on Thursday(April 3) issued a notice to strike at the company’s consumer durables facility, nearly after a month of withdrawing protests
The CITU-affiliated Samsung India Thozhilalar Sangam has taken the decision demanding to stop discriminatory wage agreements, revoking suspension of 23 employees and allowing them back to work, among other demands, it said in a statement.
The union alleges Samsung provides selective salary hikes to weaken the registered trade union.
This comes after a month-long protest in the manufacturing facility, including a sit-in protest inside the plant premises starting from February 5 against the suspension of employees.
Union later withdrew protests on March 7.
It may be recalled that the Samsung workers haveprotested for more than a month, which ended on October 16, 2024. Samsung earlier denied allegations.
Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU), backed by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU),had on Friday (March 7, 2025) announced the withdrawal of its month-long strike, and the company agreed to reinstate the protesting workers.
It may be noted that the union’s decision came after government officials and company representatives urged the protesting workers to return to duty, according to sources.
It may be noted that of the 1,800 workers at the company, 1,000 have joined the strike, while 800 have reported for duty.
The police also arrested leaders affiliated with the CPI-M-backed trade union, Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), in the early hours of Wednesday from their homes.
The police also dismantled the tent erected in front of the Samsung India company. However, the workers continued their protest a short distance from the company in an open space.
Despite the police crackdown, hundreds of workers assembled at the venue and continued their protest. Heated arguments ensued between the protesting workers and the police personnel, who asked them to disperse.
The CPI-M, an alliance partner of the DMK in the INDIA bloc, strongly condemned the police action against the striking workers and union leaders.
It may be recalled that Tamil Nadu Minister for Industries, T.R.B. Rajaa, requested the protesting Samsung employees to return to work. He also promised that their CITU-backed union would be recognised after the court delivers its verdict on the matter.
The Tamil Nadu Industries Minister assured the workers that the State government and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin would stand by them.
TRB Rajaa, who is the son of DMK senior leader and former Union minister T.R. Baalu, told the workers that it was unfair to continue the strike after the Chief Minister had intervened and designated three Ministers to hold talks with the workers and the company’s management.
The minister also mentioned that the management was ready to meet the workers’ demands, including providing high-quality food, standard locks, and air-conditioning for all 108 buses used to transport the workers.
The striking workers, however, did not accept the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed by the workers’ committee.
