By Praveen Paramasivam
CHENNAI, India (Reuters) -Samsung Electronics has warned its placing staff in southern India they won’t obtain wages in the event that they proceed protesting and in addition face the danger of termination, an organization electronic mail confirmed, escalating a dispute between the corporate and its workers.
Lots of of staff have disrupted operations and protested in a makeshift tent near Samsung’s house home equipment manufacturing facility close to town of Chennai since Sept. 9. They’ve been demanding larger wages and recognition of a union on the plant, which contributes roughly a 3rd of Samsung’s annual India income of $12 billion.
The Samsung strike is without doubt one of the greatest in India in recent times and has forged a shadow over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to court docket overseas buyers to “Make in India” and to triple electronics manufacturing to $500 billion in six years.
Samsung final week sued the protesting union in a district court docket, looking for a short lived injunction to restrain sloganeering and making speeches in and across the manufacturing facility. However the choose on Thursday solely referred to as for a swift decision.
Samsung India’s HR workforce wrote an electronic mail to some placing staff on Friday, saying they have been participating in an “unlawful strike” and won’t be entitled to wages for the interval of protest.
“You shall not be entitled to wages from 09.09.2024 to the date you report again to work on ‘No work No Pay’ foundation,” stated the e-mail, seen by Reuters.
The e-mail additionally warned that if workers do not return to work inside 4 days, they might want to clarify why they “shouldn’t be dismissed from service.”
Samsung India in a press release stated it has knowledgeable staff of its coverage primarily based on “related legal guidelines and laws, and urged them to return to work instantly.”
“The security and wellbeing of our staff are a precedence. We stay dedicated to resolving this difficulty,” the assertion added.
At the very least three placing Samsung staff confirmed to Reuters they acquired Friday’s warning electronic mail from the HR workforce.
The e-mail additionally stated Samsung administration had indicated all points could be resolved by discussions.
The Samsung plant employs roughly 1,800 staff and greater than 1,000 of them have been on strike. The manufacturing facility makes home equipment similar to fridges, TVs and washing machines. One other Samsung plant that makes smartphones within the northern state of Uttar Pradesh has had no unrest.
Samsung staff are incomes 25,000 rupees ($300) on common per thirty days, in accordance with highly effective labour group CITU that has helped mobilise the manufacturing facility staff. They’re demanding a increase of 36,000 rupees ($430) over three years.
Samsung shouldn’t be eager to acknowledge any union backed by a nationwide labour group like CITU, and talks with staff and state officers haven’t yielded a decision.
(Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam in Chennai; Enhancing by Aditya Kalra, Conor Humphries and Sharon Singleton)
