Samsung Tamil Nadu stir escalates, Citu workers threaten hunger strike

The management is of the view that the workers entered the factory premises to protest, and this amounts to trespassing and is therefore illegal

The standoff between Samsung factory employees and management in Sriperumbudur intensified on Sunday as the Citu (Centre of Indian Trade Unions) on Sunday sought the Tamil Nadu labour department’s intervention to resolve the standoff.

 

It also threatened that its workers would go on a one-day hunger strike across factories in Kanchipuram district from Wednesday. 

 

"Citu requests the labour department to immediately invite the management for talks and also issue appropriate directions to the Samsung administration for the smooth conclusion to the negotiations to be held on Wednesday," it said in a statement.

 

"Gathering in the lobby without prior permission from the management is illegal. Around 300 workers gathered in the lobby, intimidating others, disrupting work, and trying to forcefully enter management offices," a company source said. 

 

The management 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.

 

"Any protest within 500 metres of the premises is illegal, according to the Madras High Court," a source said. "The Citu Kanchipuram District Committee requests that the Tamil Nadu government and the Department of Labour’s intervention to stop the protest of the Samsung workers and the retaliatory actions by the management," Citu added.

 

Samsung India employees went on strike for more than 30 days in 2024, pressing for various demands, including wage revision. They called off following the Tamil Nadu government's intervention.