Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 16 : After thirty-eight days of protest, workers at Samsung Electronics have decided to end the strike and return to work. Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) General Secretary A Soundararajan demanded that the administration must submit its reply before the labour department replies to questions and concerns which were raised by employees. He also mentioned that company administration should not take any action as revenge for the strike
Speaking to ANI, E Muthukumar, CITU Kancheepuram district secretary and A Soundararajan, CITU General Secretary said, "Strike has been withdrawn."
"Yesterday, a discussion was held at the Secretariat. Four Ministers and Labour Department officials participated in it. We made some decisions after hearing both sides. Based on that, the Labour Department has issued some suggestions for the company which they need to abide by. Company administration should not take any action as revenge for the strike," said CITU General Secretary A Soundarajan.
"The administration should submit its reply before the labour department replies to questions and concerns which were raised by employees. They have asked employees who are all returning to work to cooperate with the administration and the administration in return will also cooperate. Legality must be the basis of administration's functioning. This is a Memorandum of Understanding we have agreed upon. From tomorrow employees will return to work," he added.
On October 15, the Tamil Nadu government said that the Samsung workers had agreed to resolve the strike amicably at the earliest.
"In accordance with the instructions of the Hon'ble Chief Minister, the Minister for PWD, Highways and Minor Ports, the Minister for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, the Hon'ble Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development and the Minister for Industries along with officials from various departments conducted meetings with concerned parties at various stages. As a consequence Samsung Management announced several welfare measures in the interest of the workers," the government said.
The management of Samsung India announced several measures in the interest of the workers, as per the communication by the State Labour Department.
"Consequently, on October 15, 2024, conciliation talks were held before the officials of the Department of Labour Welfare. During the conciliation talks, representatives from both the management and the striking workers participated and the following decisions were arrived at, all the striking workers will immediately to call off the strike and return to work. On returning to work the management not to victimise the workers only for having participated in the strike. After returning to work, the workers to cooperate with the management fully and not do any such acts prejudicial to the interest of the Management," it stated.
The management will file a written reply to the charter of demands filed by the workers before the conciliation officer.
Notably, the Samsung factory is located in Sunguvarchatiram in Kanchipuram district which is on the outskirts of Chennai. More than 1500 workers are working, and since September 9, they have been engaged in a continuous protest, insisting on a wage hike, union recognition, and 8-hour working hours.