The strike at Samsung’s manufacturing facility in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, entered its second month on Wednesday. Police detained several protesters, including leaders from the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), when a group of workers resisted orders to vacate certain areas of the facility.
Among those detained were A. Soundararajan, CITU’s Tamil Nadu State President, and another union leader.
Soundararajan had earlier warned that the strike could take a political turn if the company’s management did not address the workers’ demands. “In the past month, we refrained from involving political parties. However, now that we have sought their support, political consequences are likely,” he said.
The Tamil Nadu government has urged workers to return to their jobs, stressing the need to consider the well-being of their fellow employees.
Earlier this week, Samsung announced a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with a section of its workers aimed at resolving the protest. However, CITU leaders contended that the agreement was signed with employees not involved in the strike, and they reiterated their primary demand for the recognition of the newly formed Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU).
The MoA includes provisions for wage improvements, including a special monthly incentive of ₹5,000, effective from October 2024 through March 2025.
Earlier, CITU organized a state-wide ‘road roko’ in Kanchipuram district, attracting over 900 participants. Several protesters were detained but later released, and authorities have filed cases against them under eight sections of the law.
The strike, which began on September 9, involves hundreds of workers at Samsung’s Sriperumbudur plant, where around 1,000 out of 1,800 employees have joined the protest, demanding union recognition and a wage increase. Despite the unrest, Samsung has reported that production at the facility has not been disrupted.
The Sriperumbudur plant, operational since 2007, is one of Samsung’s two manufacturing sites in India, alongside its Noida facility. It produces a range of consumer electronics, including televisions, washing machines, and air conditioners.
(ani)
