Around 600 workers of Samsung India manufacturing company have been detained by Tamil Nadu police during protests regarding demands of higher wages for the laborers . On October 9, the situation went uncontrollable, when police arrested 10 members of Trade unions in the Sriperumbudur taluk.
On Tuesday night, workers were raising slogans at the protest-site when police allegedly forced them to go home and disrupted the demonstration. Amid the complex clash between cops and protesters, a few leaders were arrested. Situation went out of control when the policemen abolished the makeshift canopies on government land which strikers were using to stay at the site.
Some sources have also claimed that police arrested some workers in their houses, however they were immediately released on bail.
Protesters have accused police of harassment and complaint about violation of labor rights, meanwhile the police department justified that it was Revenue Divisional Officer who filed a complaint regarding government land. In the wake of rebellion and rage, the administration released the protestors, but they are still resilient to voice their demands.
Tamil Nadu Finance minister, Thangam Thennarasu clarified that the government is ‘not trying to suppress’ the voice or the rights. The administration has persistently been trying to end-up the tension and stop the strike that has officially completed 31st days.
Key Demands Of Workers
The protests started on September, 9 when around 1000 workers of Samsung company went on strike near Sunguvarchatram of Sriperumbudur, an area in close proximity to Chennai.
The workers have been demanding the management to improve working-conditions, wages and give recognition to their new union, ‘Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU). They are asking to provide solutions for the welfare of workers and protection to their families.
Government Tried To Stop The Strike
On the directions of the CM, the Tamil Nadu minister of Industries, T.R.B. Raja and MSME minister, Tha Mo Anbarasan interfered the case and tried to sort out the issue. T. R. B. Raja asked the protesters to go back to their homes and assured to provide recognition to their union from the court and the state.
‘There seems to be some disconnect with the HR and the management, not the management, not with Samsung itself,’ he said to India Today.
On the behalf of the government, he emphasized on the influence of CITU and assured that the Chief Minister MK Stalin will soon resolve the concerns of company workers. Advocating the Samsung management, T. B. Raja marked-out ‘direct discussions’ on the protest-site.
But CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions) is resilient to continue the strike.
Several leaders from Congress, CPI, CPI (M), DMK, MDMK have joined in to show solidarity with the protestors. Almost all the parties of DMK alliance have been backing the union and its demands.
Memorandum of Agreement’ Not Signed
On October 7,2024, a ‘Memorandum of Agreement’ (MoA) was presented to fix the issues between the Samsung India Electronics Private Limited, Chennai Plant and workmen. The agreement pretends to mitigate the difficulties faced by workers and tries to provide ‘solutions’, ‘productivity stabilization Incentive’, ‘cafeteria menu’, and an ‘additional immediate assistance’ in case of death and several other promises, but the workers are not satisfied with the roadmap because it does not approve their demand of a separate worker’s constitution.
CITU also claimed that the workers who signed the MoA were not affiliated to the protests, thus the agreement becomes irrelevant, however the company replicated that the new terms of agreement would equip the employees with effective solutions.
