A day after the Madras High Court gave the Tamil Nadu government two weeks to make a decision regarding recognition for the Samsung India Thozhilalar Sangam under the Trade Union Act, police confirmed to TNM that more than 900 striking Samsung workers have been detained. The strike by workers from Samsung’s Sriperumbudur unit had entered its 17th day on October 1, when the detentions were made.
According to Additional Superintendent of Police (ADSP) Charles Sam Rajadurai, five women and 912 men have been detained. The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shankarganesh also added that striking workers had been picked up from four different locations.
After the strike began on September 9 with the workers demanding a raise in wages and better working hours, the Samsung India Thozhilalar Sangam moved the Madras High Court on September 30, alleging that it wasn't granted registration under the Act even 85 days after their application was submitted. The Union has further said in its petition that registration should have been granted 45 days from the date of application (June 25 in this case), as per labour laws in the state.
The plea was filed against the Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department, Registrar of Trade Unions and the Deputy Commissioner of Labour (DCL-Conciliation) of Kanchipuram. The Union also alleged that the failure to provide registration and the confirmed delays are “illegal, arbitrary and contrary to law.”
In the petition, P Ellan, general secretary of the Samsung India Thozhilalar Sangam, said that Samsung’s management has objected to the use of the company’s name, claiming that it is a trademark violation. Ellan said they had pointed out to the management on September 10 — a day after the strike began — that it was common practice across the country for unions to use the name of their respective companies to identify themselves. He also added at the time that the Samsung name was not being used for commercial purposes and only for the purpose of identifying the Union, further calling Samsung’s objections an “anti-labour policy.”
The petitioner further alleged that the application to register the Union had been submitted online to the Joint Commissioner of Labour (JCL), Chennai on June 25. The registration fee of Rs 1,000 had been paid on the same day, he said. He added that 1,550 of the Sriperumbudur unit’s 1,800 permanent employees are a part of the Union. According to the petitioner, the JCL had sought the opinion of the DCL-Conciliation on July 8. What followed was a back and forth between the JCL and DCL-Conciliation, with neither providing clear reasons for the delay, he alleged.
Meanwhile, Samsung’s management on August 20 raised objections to the JCL regarding the Union's use of the company name. On September 3, the JCL informed Ellan of the company’s stance. As previously mentioned, the Union's claim is that it had made its clarifications to Samsung, via a letter, regarding the name on September 10.
The Madras High Court has now given the state government two weeks to decide on the matter.
It may be noted that the Samsung India Thozhilalar Sangam is affiliated with the CPI(M)’s Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). The CPI(M) is one of the allies of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the state and has been supporting the ongoing protests.