For the past 11 days, around 1,500 employees of Samsung Electronics in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu have been on strike, severely disrupting production. The factory, located in Chennai and one of two Samsung plants in India, employs nearly 2,000 workers and produces home appliances, contributing about a third of Samsung’s annual $12 billion (£9 billion) revenue in India.
The striking workers gather daily near the 17-year-old factory, demanding that Samsung officially recognize their newly-formed labor union, the Samsung India Labour Welfare Union (SILWU). Workers argue that only a union can secure better wages and improved working conditions through negotiations with management. This protest is one of the largest Samsung has faced in recent years, occurring as Prime Minister Narendra Modi promotes India as an attractive alternative to China for manufacturing.
In response, Samsung India emphasized that worker welfare is a top priority and stated that discussions with employees at the Chennai plant are underway to resolve the issues. Earlier, 104 protesting workers were detained for marching without permission but were later released.
A Soundararajan, a member of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Citu) backed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said the workers would continue the strike until their demands are met. They seek recognition of their union, the ability to engage in collective bargaining, and rejection of rival unions, as 90% of the workforce belongs to SILWU. Workers, earning about 25,000 rupees ($298; £226) monthly, are asking for staggered wage increases totaling 50% over the next three years.
Citu also raised concerns over harsh working conditions, alleging that workers are pressured to complete tasks like assembling refrigerators, washing machines, or TVs within 10-15 seconds and must work nonstop for four to five hours in unsafe environments. Soundararajan claimed that management has pressured workers to leave the union, even threatening their families.
Samsung India denied these allegations, maintaining that it fully complies with labor laws. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu’s Labour Welfare Minister CV Ganesan assured union officials that talks are ongoing to resolve the dispute.
A protester named Sijo shared that he joins the demonstration daily, spending the entire day in the protest site along with fellow workers in Samsung uniforms. The union provides lunch and water for the protesters, though they lack basic amenities like washrooms. Sijo explained that although the factory operated without complaints or a union for years, deteriorating conditions now necessitate union support. He added that his wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of living, straining his family financially.
Samsung had long resisted union representation, but this stance shifted in 2020 after public scrutiny of its practices, including the prosecution of its chairman for market manipulation and bribery. In India, millions of workers belong to trade unions, many backed by left-wing parties that enforce labor laws and advocate for better working conditions. Soundararajan criticized foreign companies for resisting local labor laws regarding workers’ rights to association and collective bargaining.
Labor economist Shyam Sundar noted that multinational corporations, like Samsung, often oppose politically-backed unions and instead encourage internal, worker-led unions, which management can more easily influence. Samsung had reportedly offered this option to its Chennai workers, but they declined. Another strategy used by multinational companies is to hire young, unskilled workers from rural areas with promises of permanent employment that are rarely fulfilled, keeping salaries stagnant.
Sundar added that the increasing reliance on contract workers is a tactic to prevent unionization, with contractual laborers making up about 40% of India’s industrial workforce. He suggested that global labor unions could help Indian workers pressure companies to comply with international labor standards.
