Samsung India Workers Union to Launch Protests Starting May 13 – Know Why

The union representing the Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU), which is affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), has declared a series of protests which will begin on May 13. The union condemns the company’s alleged practice in awarding salary hikes only to those employees who signed the agreements provided by a company-affiliated negotiating group.

Protest Timeline:

• May 13: A one-day hunger strike will be observed by the workers.
  
• May 14: A rally in Kancheepuram is planned, where workers will wear black badges and submit a petition to the Kancheepuram District Collector, seeking intervention.
  
• May 16: The protest will take place at the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health at Guindy to highlight what the union claims are illegal production activities at the manufacturing unit of Samsung India.
  
• May 19: The union intends to submit a mass petition to the South Korean Embassy in New Delhi requesting diplomatic intervention and citing the alleged repeated breaches of Indian labour laws and denial of trade union rights. The union would also file a formal complaint with the National Human Rights Commission to highlight the alleged human rights violations at the company premises.

Union Demands:

The president of SIWU and secretary of CITU Kancheepuram district E. Muthukumar said Samsung India management must either negotiate with the union affiliated with CITU or reach a settlement for more important demands, including wage amendments and general issues as described by the union leader. He also demanded that management immediately revoke any suspensions issued to 25 union office-bearers and members and withdraw all disciplinary actions issued to them. The union leader said that the state government and the labour department must intervene and have a good faith finding process in the dispute. 

Company Response:

In response, a Samsung India spokesperson stated, “At Samsung, the welfare of our workers is a top priority. The company does not, in any way, exert pressure for employees to join any committee and has not taken any retaliatory action. Claims contrary to this are simply not true.”