Around 250 workers from Samsung Electronics in Tamil Nadu were arrested by Kancheepuram police for protesting without proper permission and occupying private land.
The employees have been on strike for a month, pushing for recognition of their union, better pay, an eight-hour work schedule, and additional benefits.
While Samsung has agreed to some of the demands, such as a Rs 5,000 pay raise and improvements like air-conditioned buses for transportation and Rs 1 lakh emergency relief in the case of a worker's death, the company has refused to acknowledge the workers' union. This has led to a standoff between the employees and management.
Tamil Nadu's Finance Minister, Thangam Thennarasu, has called on the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) to end the protest, assuring that the state will follow the court's decision on the matter of union recognition. The workers maintain that they had permission from the landowner to protest but were forcibly removed by authorities.
In a related incident, seven workers were arrested last night following a road accident involving a police officer, though they were later released on bail. However, striking workers claim these individuals have not yet returned.
Samsung has reportedly minimized the impact on production by using contract workers and its logistics team. The company's legal team insists they are not obligated to engage with an unregistered union and prefer to negotiate with a workers' committee instead.
This ongoing strike presents a challenge for the ruling DMK government, which has been focusing on attracting investments and creating jobs. Government sources are working toward a resolution that balances worker welfare and job creation for the youth. It remains unclear whether the arrested workers will be released or face judicial custody.