TN: Samsung India factory workers’ strike continues

Chennai: The fresh standoff between a section of employees at the Samsung factory near here and the management continues with the CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions) spearheading the strike is planning to further intensify the protest, union officials said.

Employees under the Samsung India Workers Union have been on a sit-in strike since February 5 demanding reinstatement of three of their colleagues who were suspended by the management.

Samsung India spokesperson said Samsung does not condone any unlawful actions by employees that disrupt the industrial peace at the workplace.

On Saturday evening at Sunguvarchatram about 2 km away from the factory in the Sriperumbudur district, CITU office-bearers led by its secretary E Muthu Kumar and supporters staged a demonstration demanding that the suspended employees who are office-bearers of CITU be reinstated and threatened to intensify the protest if their suspension was not revoked immediately.

Leading the agitation, Kumar said Samsung India workers were observing a sit-in strike inside the factory since February 5, while CITU along with its supporters were staging the demonstration as part of expressing their solidarity to the striking employees.

With police personnel standing as a vigil, about 50 of CITU supporters holding party flags raised slogans against Samsung India and the district administration for not taking any measures to resolve the issue during the protest.

Kumar said the strike by the employees would continue and warned of further intensifying by seeking the support of other workers’ unions across Tamil Nadu.