Samsung Electronics’ Sriperumbudur factory workers rejected a settlement deal from the company over wage hikes, as the deal does not recognise their union, reported the news agency Reuters reported on Wednesday, October 9, citing A. Soundararajan, state president of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
“We will continue striking. We will intensify our protest to put pressure on the government,” Soundararajan told the news agency.
As the factory workers continued their protest on Wednesday, October 9, the police were forced to detain multiple protesting workers after they indulged in a fight with the police who were asking them to move away from certain areas, reported the news agency ANI. As per the CPM Tamil Nadu Unit, CITU State President A. Soundararajan and the CITU Union leader were detained, according to the report.
Out of the 1,800 workers at the facility, 1,000 participated in the protest on October 9, although the company reported that production at the plant remained unaffected, as per the report.
As per Samsung’s proposal this week, the company decided to provide a monthly incentive of 5,000 rupees ($60) until March, more air-conditioned buses, a diversified cafeteria menu and a gift card of $24 in case of a child birth, reported the agency citing official settlement documents.
According to Samsung’s official statement, it signed an agreement and will engage with workers to address their concerns, as per the agency report.
Tamil Nadu Minister of Industries, T.R.B. Rajaa, on Tuesday, said that the company has agreed to fulfil 14 demands and was willing to discuss more, but the “workers should return to work,” and all their demands, including union recognition, according to the report.
The factory workers earn an average of ₹25,000 every month and are demanding a raise of ₹36,000 a month spread over three years, reported the agency Reuters, citing CITU. The company said that the average monthly salary of a full-time manufacturing worker at the plant is close to double that of similar workers in the region, as per the report.
On Monday, Samsung said it had reached a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with its employees to resolve the protest. However, the CITU leaders claimed that Samsung management signed the MoA with workers who were not participating in the strike, according to the ANI report.
The union leaders said that the strike would continue as their core demand of recognition of the newly made Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU), was not accepted, according to the report.
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