CHENNAI: The month-long strike by the CITU-backed Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) at Samsung India’s manufacturing unit in Sriperumbudur ended on Friday, with workers beginning to return to work, sources said.
While CITU had initially insisted on revoking the suspension of 23 workers before calling off the strike, sources said they have now agreed to a fair internal inquiry by the company against these workers. Samsung has also allowed other protesting employees to return to work.
The company had previously sought an undertaking from those who participated in what it termed an “illegal strike,” requiring them to pledge they would not engage in such actions in the future.
However, the management eventually allowed workers to resume duty on Friday without a written undertaking. Workers will return in batches after attending a one-day ‘training’ programme, sources added.
The strike began on 5 February, when workers belonging to SIWU launched a sit-in protest following the suspension of three key office bearers of the union.
The situation escalated when striking workers moved their protest from a designated site within the company premises to the shop floor, demanding that contract workers—allegedly engaged by the management to compensate for the striking workforce—leave the floor, thereby disrupting production.
On 20 February, after Samsung representatives failed to appear for a scheduled round of talks, citing difficulties due to the sit-in strike, workers retreated from the company premises and moved their protest outside.
They joined other demonstrators, including CITU members, who had been staging a parallel protest outside the factory since 17 February in solidarity with the striking workers.
As the strike progressed, Samsung suspended 20 more workers, instructing them to refrain from reporting to work until an inquiry was completed. The company stated that the suspensions followed an alleged attempt by a group of workers to barge into the senior management’s offices on the second floor.
At least ten rounds of negotiations between the two parties failed before the strike was called off.
This was the second large-scale protest by workers at the plant, following a 37-day strike that began on 9 September, demanding improved wages, better working hours, and official recognition of SIWU. That protest ended after state government intervention.
A Samsung India spokesperson said, “Samsung welcomes the workers' decision to call off the illegal strike and resume their duties at the Chennai plant. The company’s initiative to welcome back striking workers and its proactive engagement have facilitated their return, effectively ending the strike.”
“We remain committed to enforcing discipline in the premises and resolving outstanding issues directly with our workers to maintain a positive work environment,” the spokesperson added.
