Chennai: The Samsung India Thozhilalar Sangam, affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), has issued a 14-day strike notice to the management of the Samsung factory located in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
This action follows the recent withdrawal of a month-long protest by the union on March 7.
The Sangam’s demands include the reinstatement of 23 suspended workers, formal recognition of their union, and the establishment of a wage agreement. They have also raised concerns about the legitimacy of a newly formed group, the Samsung India Welfare Federation, which they claim has signed a wage agreement with the company.
The strike notice, co-signed by Sangam President E. Muthukumar and Secretary P. Ellan, calls on the company to withdraw complaints against the suspended workers and to reinstate them immediately. It emphasizes that the Sangam represents the majority of the workforce and should be officially recognized by Samsung.
Additionally, the union has requested immediate disbursement of ex-gratia payments and called for a secret ballot to determine which workers’ body— the Sangam or the Federation— has the majority support among employees.
Should these demands not be met, the Sangam has warned of launching an indefinite strike once the 14-day notice period expires.
The Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU), backed by the CITU, had previously held a month-long protest that concluded on March 7, 2025. The union stated that the company agreed to reinstate the suspended workers following discussions with government officials and company representatives.
Of the 1,800 workers at the Sriperumbudur plant, around 1,000 participated in the strike, while the remaining 800 continued to work.
During the earlier protest, Tamil Nadu Police arrested several union leaders affiliated with the CITU from their homes and dismantled a protest tent outside the company. However, the workers persisted in demonstrating at a nearby location, gathering in large numbers despite police warnings to disperse. Tensions flared between protesters and police officers.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist, a partner of the DMK in the INDIA bloc, condemned the police’s actions against the striking workers and union leaders.
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa urged employees to return to work, assuring them that the state government and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin would support the union’s demands. He mentioned that recognition of the Sangam would follow a court ruling on the matter. Additionally, Minister Rajaa, son of senior DMK leader and former Union Minister T.R. Baalu, indicated that the company had agreed to enhance facilities, such as providing better food and installing air conditioning and secure locks in the 108 buses used for transporting workers.
Despite these assurances, the striking workers have rejected a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed by a workers’ committee, with the CITU leadership asserting that the MoA favored the company’s interests.
