Madras High Court to hear CITU petition over Samsung workers arrest

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court ready to hear the urgent petition moved by Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) on Wednesday afternoon, against the arrest of Samsung India workers at night hours for conducting indefinite strike demanding their rights to form an union.

Advocate R Thirumoorthy for CITU made a mention before the vacation bench of Justice PB Balaji and G Arul Murugan seeking the custody of seven workers who were allegedly arrested by the police illegally.

The petition was moved by Muthukumar, Kanchipuram district secretary of CITU, stating that the workers of Samsung India at Sriperumbudur made a representation to the authorities seeking to form a trade union as Samsung India Employees Union. Though the statutory period for registration was ended, the concerned authority has not taken action to register the union for oblique motive, said the petitioner.

Hence the workers of the union conducting the protest demanding to register their union affiliated with CITU, without causing disturbance to the management and general public.

On September 8, a team of police personnel headed by the assistant superintendent of police Sriperumbudur, arrested seven workers at the night hours including Ellan the general secretary of the Samsung India Employees Union, as they vehemently participated in the protest.

Subsequently, the Judicial Magistrate, Sriperumbadur enlarged them on bail by own bond and declined to detain them in custody, said the petitioner. Even though they were enlarged on bail, the police still keeping them illegally and not disclosing the whereabouts of the detained workers to their relatives, the petition said.

Since the workers mobile phones are switched off and unable to trace them, the family and relatives are worried and concerned about the life of the workers, read the petition.