CITU writes to International Labour Organisation on Samsung factory workers issue

CHENNAI: With the strike by Samsung workers entering the fifth week, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) general secretary Tapan Sen has complained to the chairperson, the Committee on Freedom of Association, International Labour Organisation (ILO), regarding the non-recognition of Union and Union busting by Samsung India Electronics Pvt Ltd at Sriperumbudur.

In the letter, he wrote that the overwhelming majority of workers of Samsung at its manufacturing unit near Sunguvarchatram in Kancheepuram organised themselves into a labour union/trade union - Samsung India Workers Union on June 16, 2024, as per the provisions of the Trade Union Act, 1926 and applied for the registration of Trade Union on June 26 to the Registrar of Trade Unions of Tamil Nadu.

As per the Trade Union Act, the SIWU was to be statutorily registered within 45 days from the date of filing of an application for the registration but it was not done even after a lapse of 85 days.

The SIWU filed a case in the Madras High Court on September 20 which directed the Registrar of Trade Unions and the SIWU to discuss and complete the process within two weeks that is by October 14.

Sen said that the SIWU submitted a 20-point-charter of demands of the workers to the management of Samsung on July 11 and urged for negotiation but the company refused stating that it does not allow or accept any union as a matter of its policy.

"Such a policy is contrary to the industrial labour laws of the Nation i.e. laws of the land on which the country is operating. Hope the committee appreciates any such non-compliance by a company which it is statutorily bound to comply, is in contravention of not only the laws of the land but also of ILO labour standards, " he noted.

He pointed out that the Samsung management objected in writing to the naming and usage of "Samsung" in the name of the union - Samsung India Workers Union and orally objected to the CITU leadership in the list of officers of the SIWU and the registered address of the union before the Registrar of Trade Unions which succumbed to the company's pressure.

CITU general secretary said that the SIWU served strike notice on August 19 and went on strike from September 9 in which 1450 out of 1810 workers are participating.

Accusing Samsung, an MNC, of exerting undue influence on the statutory authority empowered to register the trade union, he said that the company management in its desperate attempt of busting the majority workers union - SIWU has floated pro-management minuscule minority workers-led so-called works committee and signed a memorandum of agreement with them on October 7 which is a gross unfair labour practice as per the Industrial Dispute Act and also as per the ILO's labour standards.

He sought the intervention of the committee and to initiate a complaint procedure against Samsung as per Article 26 of the ILO and related provisions for violation of ILO and union-busting activities.