Samsung India on Tuesday said the workers at its Chennai plant earn nearly double the salary of similarly skilled workers at other companies in the region.
“The average monthly salary of our full-time manufacturing workers at the Chennai plant is 1.8 times the average salary of similar workers employed at other companies in the region,” a Samsung India spokesperson said.
As the workers’ strike enters its sixteenth day, Samsung reiterated its willingness to engage with employees, urging them to return to work. “We reiterate that we are ready to engage with our workers to address their grievances so that they can return back to work at the earliest,” the spokesperson added.
Hundreds of workers at Samsung’s manufacturing plant in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, have been protesting since September 9. Their demands include higher wages, improved working conditions and the formal recognition of the Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU), which is supported by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
According to representatives of the unrecognised SIWU, workers at the Chennai plant currently earn an average monthly salary of ₹25,000. They are seeking a three-year salary increase to ₹36,000, with 70% of the hike in 2024, followed by 15% raises in both 2025 and 2026.
“Our workers are also eligible for overtime pay and other allowances, and we provide a workplace environment that assures the highest standards of health, safety, and welfare,” the spokesperson stated.
Despite multiple rounds of negotiations involving the deputy commissioner of labour, the law minister, and the labour secretary, a resolution remains elusive. Sources at Samsung India maintained that the company is open to direct discussions with its workers, but not with third parties such as CITU.
On Monday, a Samsung India source claimed that several protesting workers had returned to work after the company issued a show-cause notice last week.
The notice, issued on Friday, informed striking workers that their wages would be withheld until they resumed work, and it also questioned why their employment should not be terminated within seven days. “You are not entitled to any wages from September 9 until you return to work on a ‘No Work, No Pay’ basis,” the notice read.
The notice further stated that if workers failed to report back within four days of receiving it, they would need to provide an explanation within seven days as to why they should not be dismissed from service.
However, representatives of CITU told FE on Monday that reports of workers returning to work are untrue. Members of the unrecognised workers’ union were unavailable for comment regarding Samsung’s latest appeal to return.
From: financialexpress
Financial News
