Samsung India workers resume strike over suspension of union leaders: Here’s what happened

A section of employees at Samsung’s home appliances factory in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, have resumed their strike, demanding the reinstatement of three suspended workers who are key members of the newly formed Samsung India Workers Union, backed by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), as per a PTI report.

Around 500 employees, out of the total 1,750 at the facility, have staged a sit-in protest, vowing to continue their agitation until their demands are met, according to union representatives, reported the wire services.

Reportedly, the development comes months after the workers had previously gone on strike for over 30 days in 2024, calling for various changes, including wage revisions. That protest was later withdrawn following intervention by the Tamil Nadu government.

Union representatives have accused Samsung India’s management of pressuring employees to join a Workers’ Committee backed by the company, the report added.

“One of our key demands during last year’s strike was that no worker should be forced into joining the Workers’ Committee, which is controlled by the management. However, the company has already coerced 25 employees into signing up. When three workers refused to do so, they were suspended,” a union representative stated.

The report highlights that the three suspended employees, who hold significant positions within the union—one as vice-president and the other two as deputy secretaries—were allegedly dismissed for refusing to comply with management’s directive, the union claims.

However, Samsung India has rejected the allegations, calling them ‘false’ and ‘misleading’. The company maintained that no worker had been pressured into joining or leaving any committee or union.

“Samsung does not condone any unlawful actions by employees that disrupt industrial peace in the workplace. Official complaints have been filed with the relevant authorities against certain workers who have violated company policies. Following a formal enquiry, disciplinary action was taken, leading to the suspension of the individuals in question,” a company spokesperson told PTI.

Despite the ongoing strike, Samsung insisted that most employees remained committed to ensuring business operations continued as usual. The company also expressed its willingness to engage in discussions with the protesting workers through government mediation.

“While some employees have engaged in illegal action, we remain committed to reaching a collective agreement and resolving the issue through dialogue facilitated by the authorities,” the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, union members remain resolute in their demands. A CITU representative stated that the protest would continue until talks were initiated and a satisfactory resolution was reached.

A senior employee also noted that, typically, the Labour Department steps in to mediate such disputes. However, there has been no response from the department so far regarding this matter.