After multiple discussions between Samsung India’s management and the workers at its Sriperumbudur manufacturing facility, a settlement has been reached regarding the ongoing strike. However, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) announced that the strike would continue, citing the company’s refusal to recognize the newly formed Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU) as a significant unresolved issue.
The discussions, which took place on 7 October 2024 at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat, involved Labour Minister CV Ganesan, Industries Minister TRB Rajaa, and MSME Minister TM Anbarasan. The company and the workers’ committee signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA). According to the MoA, Samsung agreed to implement a temporary “Productivity Stabilisation Incentive” of ₹5,000 per month, effective from October 2024 to March 2025, along with future wage hikes to be discussed in the upcoming wage negotiations for the 2025–2026 financial year.
Industries Minister Rajaa acknowledged that Samsung’s management had met most workers’ demands, including wage increases and additional benefits. He expressed optimism that the strike would soon end and emphasized the importance of Samsung’s role in Tamil Nadu’s journey toward becoming a trillion-dollar economy.
Despite these developments, CITU district secretary E Muthukumar confirmed that the strike would continue until Samsung officially recognized the SIWU. He argued that the agreement was signed only with a workers’ committee, which is seen as more favourable to the company and not with the union.
The strike, which began on 9 September 2024, initially involved over 1,000 out of the 1,800 workers at the Sriperumbudur plant. Established in 2007, the facility manufactures consumer electronics such as televisions, washing machines, and air conditioners.
On 9 October 2024, tensions escalated as police arrested several protesting workers and union members, dismantling a protest pandal without notice. Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu assured us that the detained workers had been released and clarified that the government’s actions aimed to manage protests held without prior permission. He reiterated that the matter of union recognition was sub-judice and was awaiting a decision from the Madras High Court.
Relocation Reports?
Meanwhile, reports have surfaced that Samsung may be considering relocating its Sriperumbudur plant, with Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat reportedly vying to host the facility. Sources suggest that Samsung could shift operations to its Noida plant due to the ongoing labour unrest, though no official confirmation has been made. Samsung has denied any relocation plans, stating that all worker demands except for union recognition have been addressed.
The utter incompetence of CM @mkstalin led #DMK Govt. to ensure #Samsung Plant move away from Tamil Nadu.
They’re already in talks with Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh & Uttar Pradesh Governments to shift out.
Wherever #Communists enter the place is ensured to be reduced to ashes. pic.twitter.com/IzN8YILhAS
— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) October 9, 2024
Despite these assurances, hundreds of workers protested, insisting on union recognition. Videos showing police intervention at the protest site have gone viral on social media, further fueling tensions. Political leaders, including those from the ruling DMK alliance parties, have expressed solidarity with the workers.
The Tamil Nadu unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) condemned the police crackdown, with MP Su. Venkatesan criticised the suppression of workers’ democratic rights.
The Sterlite Protests
It is an open secret that several antinational forces were involved in the protests against Sterlite Copper in Tuticorin, which led to the unrest and subsequent shutting down of the plant.
As India’s net copper imports grew, Pakistan’s copper exports to China surged significantly, raising questions about the influence of social unrest in Thoothukudi. Protests orchestrated by NGOs and activists, including The Other Media (TOM), marked the closure of Sterlite Copper.
How The DMK Through Its Proxies Fanned The Protests
It is noteworthy that the DMK, which was in the opposition during these protests (prior to 2021) played a role in fanning the protest through its proxies.
The Ministry of Home Affairs in April 2023 started examining complaints against TOM for alleged misuse of foreign funds in organizing protests against Sterlite. TOM, an FCRA-NGO founded in 1992, has faced scrutiny for its funding sources, including entities like the World Association For Christian Communication, the Christian Conference of Asia, CORDAID of Netherlands, and Trócaire. These NGOs, operating under the guise of environmental and social justice, have been accused of manipulating social unrest for their agendas. The Sterlite protests, involving figures like Fathima Babu, Nityanand Jayaraman, Mohan C. Lazarus, and Samarendra Das, received political patronage and media coverage. The protesters, supported by these NGOs and activists, demanded the permanent closure of Sterlite, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs.
The role of media in amplifying the narratives of these NGOs and activists also came under scrutiny. Portals like The News Minute and The Wire published articles and interviews featuring Nityanand Jayaraman without disclosing his association with TOM. The media played a crucial role in manufacturing opinions and building narratives that contributed to social tensions.
The likes of Mohan C Lazarus who is close to the DMK was an important fringe element instrumental in instigating the people against Sterlite was Mohan C Lazarus. While addressing a huge gathering of Christians, he peddled without any scientific basis that Sterlite Copper was a toxic factory and said that the Church has risen to shut the factory down. He also instigated the Christian population to protest and ‘dispose off the factory’ from Thoothukudi.
He also stated that a huge protest was to be held on 24 March 2018 at Thoothukudi, in which all Catholics, Pentecostals, Church of South India (CSI) would agitate against Sterlite.
Accordingly, thousands of protesters gathered in Thoothukudi on the said date demanding the closure of the plant. The protest gained political patronage from then on, with the likes of Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam, DMK, Communist parties and other separatist outfits like May 17 Movement extending their support.
With both sides holding firm, the stalemate continues, leaving the fate of the plant and its workers uncertain.
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