Assistant Labour Commissioner to hold a conciliation meeting with CITU, Samsung to end a week-long workers stir

CHENNAI: A conciliation meeting will be held on Wednesday between CITU-backed Samsung India Workers' Union (SIWU) and Samsung management at the Labour Commissioner's office at Teynampet to bring an amicable settlement to the seven-day-long sit-in strike by the workers over suspension of the three union office bearers.

CITU Kancheepuram district secretary and SIWU president E Muthukumar said that the conciliation meeting would be chaired by the Assistant Labour Commissioner on February 12 at 10 am.

“The workers were forced to resort to a sit-in strike as the management illegally suspended three union office bearers. The suspension of the workers violated the tripartite agreement during the strike that no vindictive action would be taken against the workers who took part in the strike. Until the management revokes suspension and stops forcing the workers to join the workers' committee, the protest will continue,” he said.

CITU has called for the workers to boycott food at all the industrial units on February 13 in Kancheepuram in solidarity with the protesting Samsung workers. The union also called for a protest in front of the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health on February 13 seeking action against the Samsung factory at Sunguvarchatram and SH Electronics at Sriperumbudur for engaging contract workers for routine work.

Samsung India sources said that the three workers were suspended as they led a gathering of around 300 workers in the lobby without prior permission from the management. The workers tried to intimidate others, disrupting work, and trying to forcefully enter management offices, a company source said.

The sources opined that the workers entered the factory premises to protest, and this amounts to trespassing and is therefore illegal. Around 500 workers have been holding a sit-in protest inside the factory premises since Wednesday.

Samsung's spokesperson has already said that it does not condone any unlawful actions by employees that disrupt the industrial peace at the workplace. “The company has filed official complaints with the relevant authorities against certain workers who have violated this policy. They will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action following a formal enquiry and have been suspended to protect the work environment and other workers. This legitimate measure was taken following all applicable Indian laws.”