Unity in the Face of Retaliation: Samsung Workers' Fight for Union

The workers of Samsung India Electronics Limited (SIEL) in Chennai continue to wage a spirited struggle against systematic retaliation and oppression by management. Despite roadblocks from both the management and the labour welfare department, the workers, under the Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), successfully formed and registered their union.

After the management refused to withdraw the suspension of 23 workers including the union leaders despite the ongoing labour dispute, the union issued another strike notice on April 3. However the management continues to take vindictive measures. This ongoing labor dispute highlights the challenges faced by workers in India's manufacturing sector when exercising their right to collective bargaining and even forming their union.

38 days strike and 212 days of legal battle

Almost 17 years after Samsung's manufacturing unit began operating in the Kancheepuram district near Chennai, the workers decided to organize and form a union. They were pushed to this decision due to increased working hours, low wages, inadequate social welfare, and intense exploitation.

The conflict began on September 9, 2024, when workers launched protests against anti-worker policies at the Samsung plant. The strike continued for 38 days and was withdrawn on October 16, 2024, following conciliation talks—making it one of the longest labour unrests in Tamil Nadu in recent times.

“The labour welfare department delayed the registration of the union, and we had to approach the Madras High Court to secure this basic right for the workers. After 212 days, we finally achieved a significant victory with the union gaining official registration on January 27, 2025,” said E. Muthu Kumar, CITU leader and president of the SIWU.

Vindictive measures of the management

During conciliation talks, the management agreed to refrain from retaliatory actions and fulfill their promises. However, they proceeded to suspend workers, including union office bearers, and transferred others to different departments within the plant.

Rather than accepting the democratically formed and legally recognized union, the management floated a company-sponsored union and allegedly threatened CITU members to join it. The vindictive actions continued when the management suspended workers who planned to meet the Managing Director of Samsung on February 28.

“The management violated all existing laws and delayed the process of reemploying workers who participated in the strike. After the inordinate delay, the workers assembled in the manufacturing unit with a letter seeking jobs immediately on March 7”, Muthu Kumar said.

The action sparked controversy and received international attention, forcing the management to approve the demands of the workers, but the workers were betrayed again.

Strike notice served

Despite repeated humiliations and vindictive measures, the workers have demonstrated remarkable unity in their response. In response to the recent suspensions and workplace reassignments, the workers intensified their actions by serving formal strike notice on April 3, 2025.

“The strike notice was served to prevent the management from carrying out any punitive actions against the workers. Condemning the unitary agreement signed with management sponsored union, the CITU will hold a protest on April 21, seeking the attention of the state government and the labour welfare department”, Muthu Kumar said.

The key demands include the implementation of the wage agreement signed with the majority CITU affiliated SIWU, withdraw false cases and suspension of 23 workers, stop engaging temporary workers in manufacturing and conduct a secret ballot to select the trade union.

Solidarity from Seoul Samsung Workers

Samsung Corporation is known for its no-union policy, but this was challenged first by workers in South Korea and now by Indian workers. The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) sent a solidarity message to the SIWU on September 7, the day when the indefinite strike began.

“This dispute at Samsung’s manufacturing unit is more than a localised labour conflict. Thousands of workers in different multinational corporations are facing similar challenges which exposes the deeper rot in the policies favouring the corporates”, Muthu Kumar said.

Violating laws of the land

The actions of Samsung’s management expose the company’s non-compliance with Indian labour laws. The Trade Unions Act and Industrial Disputes Act prohibit unfair labour practices, including retaliation against union members and interference with workers' rights to association.

Muthu Kumar accused the state government, the labour welfare department, and Samsung management of failing to take steps to resolve the dispute—despite Tamil Nadu being ranked high in ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and hosting major corporate investments.

“Even women workers are transferred and deputed to sections which require shifting heavy materials from one place to another. This raises serious questions about how the management is treating its employees and the state government and labour welfare department remaining silent despite continuous protests”, he said.

Despite the highhandedness of the management, the workers continue to show remarkable resilience to win their basic rights including unionisation, collective bargaining and fair wages.