More than 900 workers holding an indefinite strike at the Samsung Electronics factory in Tamil Nadu’s Sriperumbudur were detained on Tuesday, The News Minute reported.
The workers have been demanding higher wages and the recognition of their labour union.
The strike began on September 9. The detention of the workers took place a day after the Madras High Court gave the state government two weeks to decide on an application seeking the registration of the Samsung India Thozhilalar Sangam under the Trade Union Act.
Charles Sam Rajadurai, the additional superintendent of police, told The News Minute that five women and 912 men were detained.
On Monday, the Samsung India Thozhilalar Sangam moved the High Court alleging that it had not been granted registration under the Act nearly three months after applying.
The workers’ union said that their application should have been accepted by June 25 as per the labour laws in Tamil Nadu. It added that the failure to grant registration was “illegal, arbitrary and contrary to law”, The News Minute reported.
In its petition to the High Court, the group’s General Secretary P Ellan said that Samsung Electronics had objected to the union’s use of the company’s name, The News Minute reported.
Ellan was quoted as saying that the workers had informed the management that it was a common practice for labour unions to be named after companies. They contended that the company’s name was being used to identify the union and not for commercial activities.
On September 16, the police had detained 104 striking workers at the factory for almost a day, The Hindu reported.
The factory contributes roughly a third of Samsung’s annual $12 billion revenue in India, according to Reuters.
Samsung had previously said that the average monthly salary of a full-time manufacturing worker at the plant was nearly twice that of other workers in the region, the newspaper reported. The South Korean conglomerate said that it was open to negotiating with the workers.
Also read: Should Indians work longer for less pay? A proposal in the Economic Survey sparks debate
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!