Samsung India Employee Strike Escalates: Will Factory Gates Shut Next?

Samsung India employees went on strike again two weeks ago pressing for various demands, pressing for various demands, and have now warned of an escalation on Wednesday as crucial negotiations with the management are set for tomorrow, Business Standard reported. Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU) president E Muthukumar said addressing the crowd that depending on the response of the management, their reaction would follow.

“We are going to have a discussion with the management on Wednesday. Depending on their response, our reaction will follow. The CITU’s (Centre of Indian Trade Unions’) reaction will be very dangerous,” the newspaper quoted Muthukumar, also the CITU Kancheepuram district secretary.

The Sriperumbudur factory, where around 200 workers and their families gathered in protest against Samsung, pressing for many demands including reinstating three workers who were suspended by the management recently.

However, the strike did not affect the productivity of the factory as the management deployed contract workers, as claimed by the protesters calling it illegal. They also vowed to lock the factory gates on February 21 to block the entry of such "illegal workers".

Meanwhile, Samsung insisted that it is working toward “a collective agreement” with its workers while also filing official complaints against those accused of breaching company policy.

This factory of the South Korean giant employs around 1,800 workers and manufactures televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, and compressors. The facility contributed one-fifth of Samsung’s $12bn India sales in 2022-23.

A History of Strike

The strike began on February 5, prompting 600 SIWU members to stage a sit-in protest within the premises of the Samsung India Electronics facility. With failed mediation attempts by Tamil Nadu labour officials to resolve the standoff, a conciliation meeting between the management and workers is scheduled for February 19.

Yesterday, protesting workers and families also staged a hunger strike and have further plans to march to the Samsung unit on February 21 with locks if tomorrow's meeting does not go in their favour.

This strike is followed by a similar 37-day strike that had ended in October. Around 1,500 workers had participated in the strike to demand better pay, working facilities and recognition of a newly formed union.