Samsung standoff: Company seeks Tamil Nadu govt intervention for workers' safety, ease of doing business

Chennai: As the CITU-affiliated Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) intensified its agitation, the South Korean electronics giant on Thursday asked the Tamil Nadu government to secure the safety of its workers, maintain discipline and provide ease of doing business.

The company’s appeal is a damning indictment of the DMK dispensation’s handling of the situation at the Samsung India’s factory in Sunguvarchatram near Chennai where SIWU members have been protesting against the suspension of three of their colleagues for the past fortnight.

The factory has been beset with problems since September 9 last year when the employees jumped into a protest that continued till October 14 over the recognition of the SIWU.

The protest by CITU was called off after the state government intervened and brought Samsung India and the protesting workers across the table. However, the truce was short lived after employees alleged that they were being victimised for leading the protests and three were suspended for violating the company’s policies.

Samsung India told DH that a section of workers once again illegally tried to disrupt operations and industrial peace on Thursday and that the company has a zero-tolerance policy for any illegal activities by workers that disrupt industrial stability and peace at the workplace.

“While our production remains uninterrupted, we urge the state authorities to secure the safety of our workers, maintain discipline and provide ease of doing business," a spokesperson for the company said in a statement.

The DMK dispensation is under attack for not intervening at the right time and putting an end to the crisis. The development comes at a time the Tamil Nadu government is bullish on attracting investments in the electronics sector as it continues to host more number of Apple Inc suppliers to the state.