Samsung workers strike: Police detain Left leaders even as CM Stalin deputes ministers for talks
Hundreds of Samsung employees have been on strike here for over three weeks now demanding among other things better working conditions, better pay and more importantly recognition of the employee trade union.
Visual from the protest (Daily Thanthi)
CHENNAI: Even as the ongoing strike of Samsung workers at the Chennai plant entered its 24th day, the State government has intervened to end the deadlock between the Korean electronics major and its employees.
Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday instructed his ministers of industries, MSME and labour welfare departments to hold negotiations with the Samsung management and striking employees to resolve the industrial dispute.
Government sources with knowledge of the development said that following the CM’s instruction, the ministerial delegation comprising MSME minister and local DMK district secretary TM Anbarasan, industries minister TRB Rajaa and state labour welfare minister C Ve Ganesan are set to hold talks with the striking employees and the management of Samsung on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government on Monday.
Also Read: Samsung workers strike: Tamil Nadu Ministers hold talks to end protest
Left allies backing workers apprehended
The Chief Minister intervened on the day leaders of the state CPM and CPI, both allies of the ruling DMK, were apprehended by the city police while protesting against the arrest of a few striking Samsung employees earlier and demanding the CM's intervention to register the Samsung India Labour Welfare Union.
Hundreds of Samsung employees have been on strike here for over three weeks now demanding among other things better working conditions, better pay and more importantly recognition of the employee trade union. Though the electronic major was said to be willing to negotiate on the issue of wage hikes, the MNC has been stonewalling the workers' demand for registering the union, one of which is quite powerful and active in its home base Korea.
A Soundararajan, secretary of CPM-affiliated CITU, which is at the forefront of the workers strike, earlier said that they wrote to the Labour Department regarding the registration of the workers' union. The Left leader said there has been no response for 90 days since the submission of their application though the law mandates that it should be done within 45 days.
A few days ago, Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya asked CM Stalin to intervene in the workers' strike at the Sriperumbudur plant of Samsung Electronics for an early and amicable resolution for maintaining a positive manufacturing sector ecosystem.