The strike by 1,100 workers in front of the South Korean multinational Samsung Electronics' factory in Sriperumpudur, Tamil Nadu, that started on September 9, has ended after 37 days. Samsung India Workers Union, led by CITU, had announced the strike with the demands of increasing wages, better working conditions, recognizing the organization and allowing freedom of direct action. In the initial stage, Tamil Nadu government, led by DMK, tried to end the strike without displeasing the company, which had turned its back on the demands of the employees. The position of the company was that it could not negotiate with the labour union and could talk only to the labour representatives. However, the workers did not yield. The Tamil Nadu police, in the interest of the company, even went to the extent of breaking into the house of 12 of the striking workers and arrested them in the middle of the night.
But that only intensified the strike and disrupted factory work. Allies of the ruling DMK front like Congress, CPM, CPI, Vithutalai Chiruthanal Kachchi also came out publicly to show solidarity and support to the workers. Finally, following discussions between state ministers, labor leaders and company management representatives, Samsung officials were forced to accept most of the workers' demands. With that the strike ended successfully. However, the company is still not ready to recognize the labor union. The union has decided to fight a legal battle against this. The National Samsung Electronics Union of the company’s native country, South Korea came forward in solidarity and support for the workers who fought for the right to organize. They pointed out that corporates working solely for profit are trying to eliminate the unions with the aim of stifling the voice of the workers.
The Central and state governments by and large herald the opening of plants by multinational companies in third world countries, including India, as a sign of development and progress. It is as though there is even a kind of competition going on between the various state governments of the country in citing the number of companies brought to the states by conducting investment meetings. There are those who have even given away forest and agricultural land and waqf property to these multinational giants at such a low price as may seem given free. It also gives companies the freedom to operate like sovereign republics, immune from all rules and regulations. Environmental laws and labor rights are not even nominally respected. Plants in third world countries are known to handle anything from machines and chemicals to obsolete products that should be classified as e-waste which are allowed to be used in other countries only by following strict standards.
Except that a few are employed at salaries that cannot be called attractive, many companies constitute only a burden and liability to the nation. Information about all the oppression and human rights abuses on the factory premises are seldom allowed to cross the company gates, since political parties are given armfuls of money and the media get advertisement. The employees usually put up with all this for fear of losing their jobs. Now, what is flying high as the flag of victory in front of the Samsung plant is the bravery of a group of workers to break the silence and uphold their dignity at a time when the multinational giants, who are bleeding the workers.
At this hour, the success of the workers' struggle in the Samsung company recalls the memory of Ambika, a worker who died 15 years ago when she got stuck while working in a factory. She was an employee in in the Sriperumbudur factory of Nokia which had dominated the mobile phone market making waves, before Samsung conquered it. No one responsible for her death was brought to justice; nor did the family receive any decent compensation. No organized movement emerged to seek justice for Ambika either. Four years later, the plant was shut down for violating income tax laws. May Ambika's soul rest in the solace that if her misfortune befalls anyone in the future, those responsible will be answerable and will be questioned.