Madras HC denies nod for hunger strike against Shin Heung Electronics employees’ suspension

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court refused to grant permission to the workers of Shin Heung Electronics India Pvt Limited, a major spare parts supplier to Samsung India Electronics, to hold a hunger strike condemning the management for suspending 91 employees for being involved in union activities.

Hearing the petition moved by E Muthukumar, Kancheepuram district secretary of CITU, seeking permission to hold a one-day hunger strike against the company, Justice P Velmurugan refused permission but directed the Kancheepuram district police to respond and then posted the matter to November 21 for further submission.

Shin Heung India, a major spare parts manufacturer for Samsung India Electronics, has a unit in Neravalur, Kancheepuram. The petitioner alleged that several grievances of the employees were not properly addressed by the management, which prompted some of the workers to decide to form a union. Based on the decision, the workers formed a union affiliated with CITU, he said.

The company management suspended 91 workers who formed the CITU-affiliated trade union, said the petitioner.

Hence, CITU and the suspended workers decided to hold a one-day hunger strike condemning the suspension and demanding to recall the suspension order, he said. However, the Kancheepuram district police denied their representation seeking permission to hold the protest, forcing the union and workers to move the High Court seeking permission to hold the one-day fast, Muthukumar submitted.

The judge directed the district police to respond to the petition and posted the case to November 21 for further hearing.