The police on Monday morning detained at least 104 Samsung workers who had been protesting for the last one week in support of their demands which includes higher wages and recognition of a Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)- backed union.
Around 1000 staff were planning to take out a march, as part of their ongoing protests, from Theradi in Kancheepuram to the collector's office to submit a petition with their demands that also included reduced working hours.
A Jenitan, union leader of CITU, told TNIE, "The workers were detained at around 11 am before they could enter Kancheepuram town. Further, CITU's E. Muthukumar, who had been leading the protest, was detained at around 7 am this morning well before the march began."
The workers belonged to the Samsung Electronics manufacturing unit at Sriperumbudur, where CITU leaders said that around 1500 of its 1700 staff had been participating in the protests.
Police officials to whom TNIE spoke to said that the march was carried out without obtaining necessary permissions and the workers have been detained as a preventive measure.