T.N. government directs three Ministers to defuse protest at Samsung plant

The Tamil Nadu government has directed three key Ministers to engage in discussions with the management of South Korean company Samsung Electronics and its employees, who have been on strike since September 9.

According to a source in the government, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has assigned Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa, MSME Minister T.M. Anbarasan and Labour Minister C.V. Ganesan to address the issue. It is learnt that these Ministers had an elaborate discussion on the issue on Saturday.

The workers have been protesting in Sriperembudur near Chennai, demanding recognition of the newly formed Samsung India Workers’ Union, and an increase in wages.

The Samsung Electronics’ facility in Sriperumbudur has 1,800 workers. The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) office-bearers claim that over 1,000 workers are protesting. Over the past four weeks, several rounds of discussions took place between the CITU, the Tamil Nadu government, and Samsung India. However, the talks failed.

Sources said Samsung was open to communicating directly with its workers instead of unrecognised unions. E. Muthukumar, the Kancheepuram district secretary of the CITU, said the workers had united as they were underpaid. The protest would continue till their demands are met, he added.

Citing the data shared by Samsung, government sources said the average monthly salary of its permanent manufacturing employees at the Chennai facility was 1.8 times higher than the industry average for similar positions in the electronics sector.

More than 900 employees having over 10 years of service earn an average salary of around ₹40,000 per month, excluding additional perks. Some of the longest-serving operators are earning up to ₹69,000 per month. Allegations that workers earn only ₹23,000 per month even after serving for over 10 years are misleading, a source said, adding that only one worker at the facility earned around ₹24,000 a month despite having 10 years of service, due to poor attendance and performance evaluations.

Samsung says it has successfully stabilised production at its Chennai plant, ensuring no disruptions, in the lead-up to the festive season.

Published - October 06, 2024 12:56 am IST