Huge strike proceeds as Indian employees refuse Samsung offer
Date
10/12/2024 6:16:20 AM
(MENAFN) Employees at a Samsung Electronics factory in Tamil Nadu, India, are extending their month-long strike after rejecting a proposed settlement from the management. The situation escalated on Wednesday at the Sunguvarchathram facility, located near Chennai, where workers have been conducting a sit-in protest under a makeshift tent. Tensions flared as Police arrested approximately ten representatives of the labor union and dismantled their protest site, following a day of solidarity visits from Political leaders, including members of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party.
Tamil Nadu’s Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa urged the striking workers to return to their jobs, assuring them that their union would eventually be recognized following an upcoming court ruling and that the state government would provide support.
The protestors are affiliated with the Samsung India Workers Union-Centre of Indian Trade Unions (SIWU-CITU), which was established in July. Despite its formation, the company has yet to recognize the union, even though Indian labor law stipulates that a union must be registered within 45 days of its creation.
More than 1,500 workers are participating in the strike, calling for the recognition of their labor union, a three-year salary increase, and improved working conditions. Currently, the average monthly salary for a full-time employee at the factory is around 25,000 Indian rupees (approximately USD300). The union is demanding a staggered increase that would raise salaries to 36,000 rupees (about USD431) within three years.
As the strike continues, the workers are emphasizing their rights and seeking fair treatment from the multinational corporation, reflecting broader issues of labor rights and corporate responsibility in India. The outcome of this labor dispute could have significant implications for workers’ rights in the region and set a precedent for future negotiations between labor unions and corporations.
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