Samsung stir: Leaders of DMK allies meet protesting workers, seek CM's intervention

CHENNAI: Hours after the police department headed by Chief Minister MK Stalin arrested hundreds of Samsung employees for protesting, leaders of DMK allies met the employees in solidarity and urged Stalin to intervene in the issue, on Wednesday.

CPI state secretary R Mutharasan, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan, VCK president Thol Thirumavalan and Congress leader KV Thangkabalu, along with other leaders, met the employees, where they were locked.

"The employees are demanding to register their union. If the government agrees to register the union, they will withdraw the protest. They are seeking basic rights ensured in the Constitution," K Balakrishnan said.

Meanwhile, Thirumavalavan urged the government to drop all the cases filed against the employees and release the arrested employees. "The Chief Minister should intervene in the issue directly. We are not against the foreign investment, but we are against exploiting the employees," he added.

Clarifying that the DMK allies are not against corporate firms, Mutharasan expressed that the employees have the right to form a union.

Earlier in the morning, several employees, despite police resorting to arrest leaders of CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions) and Samsung India Workers' Union during the night hours on Tuesday, dared the restrictions and gathered at the protest site in Sunguvarchatram, near Samsung factory.

"The protest is continuing for 31 days. The police filed fabricated cases against the protestors and arrested 10 employees. The arrests were made to terrorise the remaining employees. The police have no right to remove the tent from the private land. This is police highhandedness," CITU state president A Soundararajan.

Alleging that the actions are equivalent to State terrorism, Soundararajan demanded answers from Chief Minister MK Stalin, who is also the State Home Minister.

Along with hundreds of protesting employees, police arrested CITU state president A Soundararajan and district secretary Muthukumar, and locked them in private marriage halls around Sunguvarchatram.

EPS slams midnight arrest of workers

Chennai: Condemning the midnight arrest of Samsung workers, who have been protesting for nearly a month now over various demands, Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said the government should desist from such a "regressive and anti-labour" approach.

Though the tripartite meeting between labourers, organisation and the government failed to achieve its objective fully, the information from the government side suggested that they had resolved the issue to end the ongoing protest, which commenced on September 9. However, the agitating workers denied this and continued their protest.

Amidst this, the police have conducted a search for the protesting workers in buses on Tuesday and they have been arrested during the intermediate night of Tuesday-Wednesday from their houses, said Palaniswami in his social media post.

He expressed shock over the midnight arrests and questioned why the DMK regime was adopting such intensive action against workers. "Instead of resorting to such action against elements indulging in criminal activities, why is the TN government indulging in such act to quell the protest of workers?" he asked.

“Instead of finding an amicable solution to the issue through dialogues, the government is employing such a ‘regressive’ and ‘anti-labour’ approach and is strongly condemnable," he said.

He took a dig at Chief Minister M K Stalin by stating that he was clad in a red shirt and declared "I am a labourer too" during the Labour Day celebration.

"If he had true respect for the red-shirt, he should desist from anti-democratic and anti-labour approach," he said and urged the government to respect the labourers' rights and engage in talks once again to find an amicable solution.

Anbumani seeks amicable solution

Chennai: Even as the State government and the police suppress the protest of Samsung employees, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss warned the DMK regime that labourers will teach an unforgettable lesson.

In a statement, Anbumani said that Samsung employees are protesting with the demands of recognition to their union, 8-hour work, pay hikes and others.

"Revenue and Police officials attached to Kancheepuram district removed employees' temporary tent during the night hours. Also, 10 leaders of the union were arrested. This action of the government is condemnable," he said.

He added that the government, which claims to be the guardian of the rights of the employees, has unleashed oppression against the employees by turning into Samsung's handyman.

"The government that conducted talks has failed to arrive at an amicable solution. However, it formed a puppet union and signed an agreement with Samsung. The government is trying to threaten employees, who are not complying with the agreement," he said.

"The Labour community will never forgive the oppression and the labourers will teach a lesson, " he warned.

In a separate statement, party founder S Ramadoss said that the Madras High Court did not ban the protest and urged the government to allow the protest to continue.

"The government should release the arrested leaders and conduct talks with Samsung to fulfil the demands of employees," he urged.