Chennai: In a bid to persuade its employees to end strike, Samsung has taken to sending snack kits to its them. For almost a month now, the workers at the Samsung Electronics manufacturing unit in Chennai have been staging cease-work protest, demanding better wages and the recognition of their union.
The strike is being led by the Samsung India Workers Union-Centre of Indian Trade Unions (SIWU-CITU). It has reduced Samsung’s production by 80 per cent ahead of the festive season, a major blow to the company, the Hindustan Times reported.
SIWU-CITU has demanded a three-year salary increase to ₹36,000, a hike in shift allowance from ₹150 to ₹250, and extension of paternal leave from three to seven days. The workers also want the company to institute equal pay for workers with the same qualifications and duties.
At present, Samsung has no union for workers in India. The Samsung India Workers Union awaits official registration and recognition from the company.
The Samsung plant employs about 1,800 workers and more than 1,000 of them have been on strike. The factory makes appliances such as refrigerators, TVs and washing machines. Another Samsung plant that makes smartphones in Uttar Pradesh has had no unrest.
Earlier, police had detained and later released at least 900 of these protesting workers, Reuters reported. The employees had also entered an one-day hunger strike previously.