Samsung Electronics found itself in conflict with its workers again. The company’s unit in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu is currently seeing its second labour dispute in the last five months.
The firm’s plant, about 50 km from Chennai, reportedly saw 500 workers holding a sit-in protest on the campus on Friday, reported Business Standard citing sources. The workers are demanding the withdrawal of the suspension of three employees.
However, the company maintained that no operations were affected at the unit even as 500 out of the 1,800 employees participated in the protest. Citing a company source, the report said that the firm recruited contract workers to manage the gap.
Further, the suspended workers will be subjected to appropriate disciplinary action after a formal inquiry, the report said. The source mentioned that the workers have been suspended to protect the work environment and other employees.
E Muthukumar, President, Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU) and secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) in Kancheepuram, noted, “The union is having only one demand. That is withdrawal of the disciplinary actions taken against its members.”
The SIWU was registered under the Trade Unions Act, 1926 by the Tamil Nadu labour department on January 27, making it the first Samsung workers’ union in the country.
The union is claiming that the current move by the company management is in violation of the deal made in October that barred any retaliatory action against the workers. The latest protest follows the earlier strike that started on September 19, 2024, and lasted for 37 days. The workers finally returned to work on October 17 last year.
Notably, the workers on strike were given free food at the cafeteria inside, the report said. A senior CTU leader, A Jenitan, noted, “We had a couple of rounds of discussions with the management and government officials. They are not ready to withdraw the actions taken against our union members. We will not stop the strike until retaliatory actions against employees are stopped.”
Citing another company source, the report said that differences between the management and union escalated after some employees tried to barge into a senior official’s room on January 31, 2025.
A statement from the firm said, “Samsung does not condone any unlawful actions by workers that disrupt industrial peace at the workplace. The company has filed official complaints with the relevant authorities against certain workers who have violated this policy. They will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action following a formal enquiry. This legitimate measure was taken in accordance with all applicable Indian laws.”
The Sriperumbudur unit accounts for about 20-30 per cent of the company’s $12 billion revenue in India and manufactures colour monitors, refrigerators, washing machines, and televisions.
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