CHENNAI: Attempts to end the impasse between Samsung and the CITU-backed workers’ union have made little progress after another round of talks failed on Thursday. Sources party to the talks said no headway was made after Samsung called for the striking workers to sign an undertaking.
The CITU declined to budge, saying that the undertaking requires the striking workers to take responsibility for disrupting production and allegedly marching to the second-floor offices of the senior management at the electronics giant’s manufacturing unit in Sriperumbudur.
Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) president E Muthukumar said, “We had already made it clear in the last round of talks that these written statements will be used against the workers in the future. We will continue our protests; workers will arrive at the gate (of the Sriperumbudur unit) and demand to be allowed to work on Friday morning.”
Samsung sources said that they had not sought an apology letter, but for an undertaking, in which those who had participated in the “illegal strike” should state that they would refrain from participating in any such strikes in the future.
Samsung reiterated its stand after the last round of talks, saying, “Despite our best efforts to arrive at a mutually beneficial agreement through constructive dialogue, the union continues to make unreasonable demands and is changing its position constantly, leading to an impasse in the negotiations.”