Protesting Samsung employees continue their strike, which entered the 31st day, even as the police, in a midnight crackdown, arrested 10 CPI(M)-affiliated CITU union leaders and dismantled the pandal where they were holding the month- long protest close to the factory in Kancheepuram district.
According to union sources, ten office-bearers of the CITU-backed Samsung India Labour Welfare Union were forcibly arrested from their homes on Tuesday midnight. Further, the pandal erected for the protest demonstration was also dismantled by the cops without any notice resulting in tension in the area. The CITU has moved the Madras High Court with a Habeas Corpus petition against the arrest and police intimidation.
The ruling DMK however remains isolated on this issue as it is not on the same page with its allies. For, the police crackdown comes ahead of today’s planned meeting of leaders of the DMK’s allies – Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK), Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) – with the protesting workers to extend solidarity and support. TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai, MLA, VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan, MP, TVK president T Velmurugan, MLA, and MDMK leader Antharidas were to address the workers at the protest site close to the factory at Sunguvarchathiram near Sriperumpudur. Earlier, they urged the government to fulfill the workers’ legitimate demand of right to form a union.
Recognition of the union is the workers’ main demand among other things including wage revision, which the management of the Korean technology giant is opposed to. “Despite the application seeking recognition having been submitted three months ago, the Labour Department is yet to act on it. It is a ploy to get the company prop up a union,” a CITU leader said. Samasung is not prepared to recognize any third-party backed union. Monday’s talks between the CITU union and the team of three ministers, deputed by Chief Minister MK Stalin to resolve the impasse, ended in failure and the union decided to continue the strike and the protest.
The ministerial team, while appealing to the striking workers to return to work, had entered into a MoU with a rival union, said to be propped up by the management which infuriated the protesting employees. “It is a betrayal of the workers by the government. It is acting at the behest of the multinational company. When no agreement was reached during the talks, the ministers’ claim is contrary to facts. We are intensifying the protest. On October 21, all unions in factories in Kancheepuram and three neighbouring districts would strike work in solidarity with the Samsung workers,” declared E Muthkumar, president of the protesting SILWU.
Meanwhile, the police crackdown on the protesting workers has invited opposition ire with the AIADMK, Naam Tamilar Katchi of filmmaker Seeman, PMK, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam of TTV Dhinakaran and others condemning it and accusing the Stalin government of being anti-workers. “Arresting union leaders at the dead of night for fighting for their legitimate right and threatening their families is height of tyranny. The DMK government siding with Samsung is betrayal of the workers,” Seeman said in a statement.
“Instead of resolving the strike at Samsung, the state government is trampling upon the constitutionally guaranteed workers’ right and remains an agent of MNCs. The DMK is at its old trick of dividing the workers and crowning a puppet union,” PMK founder S Ramadoss said in a hard hitting statement.
Condemning the police action, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said in an ‘X’ post, “It is shocking that office-bearers of the protesting union have been arrested at midnight and the workers intimidated by the police.”