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Samsung Workers Reject Wage Settlement, Demand Union Recognition
Workers at Samsung Electronics’ factory in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, have rejected the company’s settlement offer over wage hikes, citing non-recognition of their newly formed union.
The protest, which intensified on October 9, led to the detention of several union leaders and demonstrators.
The settlement dispute escalated when workers, backed by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), demanded recognition of the Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU) and a salary increase. The proposed agreement by Samsung, which included a monthly incentive of ₹5,000 until March, better facilities, and a gift card for new parents, failed to satisfy workers’ core demands.
Police Detain Union Leaders Amid Intensified Protest
Amid the ongoing protests, police detained several demonstrators, including CITU State President A. Soundararajan and other union leaders. The incident occurred when the protesting workers clashed with law enforcement personnel who were attempting to move them away from certain areas. As of Wednesday, October 9, around 1,000 of the 1,800 factory workers participated in the protest, while the company maintained that production remained unaffected.
The workers, who earn an average monthly wage of ₹25,000, are demanding a wage increase to ₹36,000 over the next three years. According to CITU, the current settlement does not address the recognition of SIWU, which remains a crucial demand for the protesting employees.
Government Urges Workers to Resume Work
Tamil Nadu’s Minister of Industries, T.R.B. Rajaa, stated that Samsung had agreed to fulfill 14 of the workers’ demands and was open to further discussions. However, he emphasized that workers should return to work for negotiations to proceed.
“While the company has addressed most of the workers’ concerns, including offering better transportation, cafeteria facilities, and incentives, the recognition of SIWU remains a sticking point,” the minister said, urging employees to resume duties.
Samsung’s Response and Future Negotiations
In response, Samsung issued a statement asserting that it had signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to address workers’ grievances and will continue to engage with employees to resolve outstanding issues. However, union leaders claim that the MoA was signed with workers who were not participating in the protest, which further fueled discontent among the striking employees.
As the stalemate continues, the factory workers have vowed to intensify their protest, putting pressure on both Samsung management and the government to recognize their union and meet their demands. The situation remains tense, with no immediate resolution in sight.
