Strike enters the third week Samsung threatens striking Indian employees with termination

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After more than 14 days of ongoing strikes at its Indian manufacturing sites, the dispute between Samsung and the striking employees continues to escalate: The South Korean electronics giant has warned its striking workers in South India that they will not receive wages if they continue to protest. Furthermore, they could face termination.

The news agency Reuters reports a further dramatic escalation of strikes at the Samsung sites in Chennai, South India. According to the report, the human resources department of Samsung India sent an email to some striking employees last Friday.

In the email from September 20, it states that the protesting workers participated in an "illegal strike" and therefore would not be entitled to wages for the duration of the protest. "You are not entitled to wages from September 9, 2024, until the day you return to work," Reuters quotes from the relevant email. The email also noted that employees who do not return to their workplace within four days must explain why they "should not be dismissed."

Better salaries, more job security

Since September 9, strikes have commenced at the Samsung factory. For just over two weeks now, 1,500 employees of the South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu have ceased work, resulting in significant production disruptions. The facility in the city of Chennai, one of Samsung's two factories in India, employs almost 2,000 workers and manufactures household appliances that contribute about one-third to the company's annual revenue in India of 12 billion US dollars.

The striking workers gather daily on a plot of land near the 17-year-old factory, demanding that Samsung recognize their newly formed union, the Samsung India Labour Welfare Union (SILWU). They assert that only a union can assist them in negotiating with the management for better wages and working hours. It is one of the largest strikes in India in recent years. A few days ago, Indian police arrested several hundred strikers, and the Indian government has threatened the protests with further consequences.

The workers are protesting against poor working conditions and for better salaries: Currently, according to the newly formed union during the strike, Samsung India Labour Welfare Union (SILWU), workers earn an average of 25,000 rupees (approximately 270 euros) per month. The union is demanding staggered wage increases totaling 50% over the next three years and better working conditions: According to a union spokesperson, workers in the factory are "pressured to complete each product—whether it's a refrigerator, a washing machine, or a television—within 10-15 seconds," as reported by the BBC regarding the ongoing strikes. Additionally, they face four to five hours of continuous work without breaks and inadequate safety measures.

Samsung denies these allegations: "We categorically deny that workers have to work four hours straight. All employees receive adequate breaks in between," Samsung India reported in an official statement.

Last week, Samsung sued the protesting union in a district court and applied for a preliminary injunction to ban slogans and speeches in and around the plant. However, this injunction was denied; the judge merely called for a "swift resolution" on Thursday.

The Samsung strike is one of the largest in India in recent years. The situation casts a dark shadow over the plans of the Indian government to attract foreign investors and triple domestic electronics production to 500 billion dollars within six years, making "Made in India" an attractive option in affordable electronics manufacturing.