Chennai: Samsung employees' protest enters ninth day

Chennai: Samsung employees' protest has entered its ninth day on Tuesday (today) at Sungavachatiram near Sriperambathur on the outskirts of Chennai's Kanchipuram District.
The workers, led by union head E. Muthukumar, have been demanding better wages and improved working conditions. Hundreds of striking Samsung employees have been sitting outside the plant in their company uniforms.
The first and second rounds of talks failed with the state labour department and labour minister in the Secretriat last week.
Earlier on Monday, the protestors were detained when they entered Kanchipuram. They were later released in the late evening. A case was filed against more than 100 employees.
CITU, Tamil Nadu State Secretary, Muthukumar said, "Our demands were not met and the management has urged us to disband the union. They are hindering the recognition of the union by raising complaints. When the union decided to stop overtime, the management forced employees to work overtime for up to 11 hours."
"Employees began a protest at India Chennai Samsung factory last Monday which has entered the 9th day today. We demanded a Samsung India employees union be formed but the management has asked us not to do so and indulge in such things. They forced us to join the employees in their forum which they initiated. This is the main reason for the employees' strike. Management is not allowing the employees to form a separate union and register in the state union. The management has said not to use the Samsung name and given a paper to the Union registrar. But in South Korea, they have registered as a National Union for Samsung employees and it is logically not right to use their name in India. It is not right in terms of legality. We demand the government to intervene and make a permanent solution. Till now all the talks held have failed and we hope the next round of talks will be fruitful," he added further.
CITU, Tamil Nadu Deputy General Secretary Kannan stated, "Yesterday 104 Samsung employees were arrested in Kanchipuram when they tried to meet the collector and give a memorandum of their demand. Kanchipuram police have filed cases against the employees. We demand that the police withdraw the cases immediately."
"Tomorrow all trade unions and employee federations will jointly do a protest in Chennai at Valluvarkootam evening," Kannan announced.