Samsung workers call off 37-day strike at Sriperumbudur factory after reconciliation talks

Chennai, Oct 15 (IANS) The workers of Samsung India, who have been agitating against the management at the Sriperumbudur plant in Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday called off the 37-day strike that commenced on September 9, the state Labour Department announced.  

The Labour Department, in a statement, said: "Both parties have accepted this advice. The workers have informed that they will call off the strike immediately and return to work. Thus, the strike at the Samsung factory has come to an end, and all the workers are resuming work."

“Samsung India welcomes CITU’s decision to call off the illegal strike. We thank the government of Tamil Nadu for its support and welcome our workers who have decided to return to work unconditionally. We will not take action against workers who merely participated in the illegal strike. We are committed to work closely with our workers to make the Chennai factory a great place to work,” a Samsung India spokesperson said.

The strike was called off on Tuesday after multiple rounds of talks at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat, involving the state government, CITU leaders, and Samsung India management.

Sources said that the breakthrough came after senior DMK leader and state minister, E.V. Velu, took the initiative and joined the negotiations.

According to company sources, the agreement includes a hike in wages (which had already been agreed upon earlier) and no disciplinary action against the agitating employees.

However, the main issue raised by the CPI-M-backed Central Trade Union Centre (CITU) regarding the registration of its union is not part of the agreement.

The management stated in discussions with Tamil Nadu ministers that the matter is already before the Madras High Court, and a decision will be taken after the court’s verdict.

A consensus was reached between the workers and management that the registration of the union could be pursued based on the legal outcome.

The CITU, however, agreed to call off the strike after the Tamil Nadu government expressed its support for registering the union within the company. Representatives from both the management and the striking workers agreed that all workers would immediately call off the strike and return to work. According to sources within CITU, Samsung India management confirmed that upon returning, workers involved in the strike would not face any victimisation. The workers also agreed to fully cooperate with the management and refrain from any actions prejudicial to the management’s interests upon their return to work.

The management, according to CITU, will also issue a written response to the charter of demands submitted by the workers to the conciliation officer.

The trade union body, however, stated that the strike would be officially called off on Wednesday after a general body meeting of the Samsung India Workers’ Union. CITU leaders confirmed to media persons that all their demands had been accepted by both the government and the company, and hence the strike was being called off.