Samsung workers strike as 10th round of conciliation talks failed
In a statement, Samsung India Workers' Union president and CITU Kancheepuram district secretary E Muthukumar said that in Tuesday’s meeting, the company imposed two strict conditions for allowing the workers—who had committed no wrongdoing—back into the workforce.
Striking workers of CITU-affliated Samsung Workers’ Union sitting on a protest
CHENNAI: The tenth round of conciliation talks chaired by the Additional Labor Commissioner on Tuesday ended in stalemate after the Samsung management announced several harsh decisions regarding the month-long strike.
In a statement, Samsung India Workers' Union president and CITU Kancheepuram district secretary E Muthukumar said that in Tuesday’s meeting, the company imposed two strict conditions for allowing the workers—who had committed no wrongdoing—back into the workforce.
“The workers must forfeit eight days' wages as a penalty for the days they did not work. Each worker must individually submit a written apology acknowledging their mistakes, including severe wording dictated by the management. We rejected the two conditions stating that no individual worker would issue an apology, as all decisions and responses would be made collectively through the union. We also maintained that the workers had done nothing wrong,” he said.
He declared that both conditions were unfair and legally unacceptable, the union refused to comply. “Further protest actions will be announced tomorrow at the protest venue,” he said.
The workers resorted to a sit-in strike from February 5 in protest against suspension of the union office bearers. A total of 23 workers were suspended by the management in the course of the protest.
Samsung India in a recent statement said that a certain section of workers illegally tried to disrupt operations and industrial peace. The company has a zero-tolerance policy for any illegal activities by workers that disrupt industrial stability and peace at the workplace.
