Labour unrest in the Samsung India Electronics Limited (SIEL) manufacturing facility in Kancheepuram is continuing, with workers holding a sit-in protest that entered its 15th day on February 19, 2025. The protest was launched after the management suspended three office-bearers of the Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
The workers are protesting, citing two major issues, namely, the suspension of three union office-bearers on ‘false’ charges and against the company using contract workers in the manufacturing process.
The workers set up a new protest pandal (tent) in front of the manufacturing unit on February 18, as they gear up for a series of agitation programmes against the “illegal measures” of the management and the “inaction” of the labour department of the government of Tamil Nadu.
Family Members Join Protest
On February 17, the workers of SIEL, along with their family members, held a protest in Kancheepuram after the management failed to break the deadlock even after 14 days of the sit-in protest.
The three office-bearers were suspended after they attempted to meet the managing director of the South Korean electronics major during the lunch hour break to appraise him of the “anti-worker policies” pursued by the Indian management.
“After turning away the office-bearers with the promise of arranging a meeting with the MD within 15 days, the management suspended the three office-bearers on February 4 without any show cause notice or enquiry”, E Muthukumar, president, SIWU, and a CITU leader told this reporter.
The union has decided to hold a protest in front of the SIPCOT unit on February 20 and serve a strike notice on February 21, if the talks scheduled on February 19 do not bring any positive outcome.
Attempts to ‘Weaken the Union’
The action of the management to suspend the office-bearers of the union, which was registered by the state labour welfare department after a 38-day strike and 212 days of legal battle, is to weaken the union and form a puppet union, the workers allege.
The management has been accused of forcing the workers, reinstated after the strike, to join the ‘puppet union’ formed by the management by deserting the CITU-affiliated one.
“The management has been compelling the workers to leave the CITU union and join the management-sponsored union. It has even opened an office for their puppet union. This shows their utter disregard to the existing laws”, Muthukumar said.
The union also accused the management of issuing show cause notices to 39 workers alleging that they plan to suspend 15 workers in their “attempt to weaken the union.”
3 Memoranda Submitted to Labour Department
The CITU has submitted three memoranda to the Assistant Commissioner of Labour against the “illegal actions” of SIEL. The management backtracked from the promises made while the previous strike was withdrawn in September 2024, it said.
The management took back the last batch of workers who joined the strike only after 45 days following the withdrawal of the strike, against their promise made in the talks held with the union facilitated by the labour department.
The management also failed to revise the wages within the stipulated time, internally transferred 40 workers and continued to force the workers to desert CITU, all against the promises made, the union alleged.
“The company is now engaging contract workers in the manufacturing process which is against the Factories Act. Even though the labour commissioner has issued a show cause notice, the management has not submitted any explanation. This shows that they do not respect the law of the land”, Muthukumar added.
Labour Welfare Department Faces Criticism
The labour welfare department of the government of Tamil Nadu has come under strong criticism for their “lethargic handling” of the disputes, particularly in the automobile hub across Chennai and Kancheepuram districts.
“The government of Tamil Nadu and the labour welfare department are acting in favour of the big corporates, betraying the interests of the workers. The police too joined hands by resorting to illegal detention of the workers and union leaders during the previous strike. The DMK government must change its policies to ensure the rights of the workers are protected”, Muthukumar said.
Courtesy: Newsclick