Fresh trouble brews at Samsung India unit in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: The trouble at Samsung's manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu is coming to a head yet again after the employees announced a protest on Wednesday against the management’s allegedly retaliatory actions against them for going on strike in September.

According to E Muthukumar, president, Samsung India Workers' Union which is affiliated to the CITU, alleged that around 8 pm on Monday, a worker named Sudhakar attempted suicide after being continuously pressured to join the management-backed workers’ committee and threatened to be transferred to a different work place in the plant.

Claiming that Sudhakar blamed threats and retaliation from the management for him attempting suicide, Muthukumar alleged that the management did not allow the union office-bearers who were on duty to help Sudhakar or meet him at the hospital.

“The Samsung India management is continuously taking various retaliatory measures against the workers who went back to work after an agreement was reached to end the strike. More than 35 union-affiliated workers, including leading office-bearers, are being transferred and falsely accused and charge-sheeted,” he said, alleging that workers were being counseled by the management to join the workers' committee.

As a token protest, the workers would stage a breakfast-skipping stir on Wednesday. If the management fails to respond to the workers’ demands and stop the harassment of workers at the tripartite meeting to be held at Labour Commissioner office, they would take forward the protest, including strike, he said.

He also noted that the State government has not taken any steps despite being directed by the Madras High Court to act on the union registration in six weeks.

The workers went on an indefinite strike on September 9 pressing for a range of demands, including revised pay structure, improved working conditions, and the official registration of the Samsung India Workers' Union with the Labour Department.

Meanwhile, Samsung said it was aware of the “incident… involving a worker”, and said it was closely monitoring the situation and would conduct a thorough investigation.

“At Samsung, the welfare of our workers is a top priority. The company does not in any way exert pressure on employees to join any committee and has not taken any retaliatory action. Claims contrary to this are simply not true."