Mandaviya urges Stalin to resolve Samsung workers’ strike

Union Labour Minister urges Tamil Nadu CM to swiftly resolve Samsung workers' strike for positive manufacturing sector ecosystem.

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin urging him to bring about a “swift resolution” to the ongoing workers’ strike at Samsung Electronics’ plant at Sriperumbudur.

About 1,000 workers at the unit have been protesting since September 9 demanding wage revision and trade union rights.

Mr. Mandaviya urged the State government to intervene for an early and amicable resolution for maintaining a positive manufacturing sector ecosystem. “He also assured full support from the Ministry to help the State in resolving the matter efficiently,” a source in the Union Labour Ministry said.

The strike, spearheaded by Samsung India Workers’ Union, has grabbed international attention. The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) of South Korea had expressed its “deep solidarity” with those on strike. “Although we are in different countries, we are comrades united in our determination to protect workers’ rights,” the South Korean union said in a letter to its Indian counterparts.

The NSEU said that as a global corporation, Samsung Electronics had a responsibility to respect and guarantee workers’ rights wherever it operates.

A source in the Tamil Nadu government said, “We are in touch with both parties. We are open to resolving this issue soon. We hope to arrive at a solution within a week.” However, E. Muthukumar, Kancheepuram district secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said, “The State government has neither responded nor taken any action.

In a statement, Samsung said, “The average monthly salary of our full-time manufacturing workers at the Chennai plant is 1.8 times the average salary of similar workers employed at other companies in the region. Our workers are also eligible for overtime pay and other allowances and we provide a workplace environment that assures the highest standards of health, safety and welfare, including free shuttle bus and meals.”