Samsung says workers end strike at its southern Indian factory
The strike at the plant, backed by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), was the biggest such dispute in recent years in the country and cast a shadow over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's drive to lure investors to set up local manufacturing
Workers of Samsung Electronics' Indian unit have decided to end a strike at its factory in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the company said on Tuesday, bringing to an end a labour protest that continued for more than a month.
The strike at the plant, backed by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), was the biggest such dispute in recent years in the country and cast a shadow over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's drive to lure investors to set up local manufacturing.
Samsung India in a statement late on Tuesday said it welcomed the decision by CITU to call off the strike at the plant, which employs about 1,800 workers and makes refrigerators, TVs and washing machines. The company did not disclose the terms of the settlement.
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"We will not take action against workers who merely participated" in the strike, Samsung India said, without elaborating if it is planning any action against certain workers.
Earlier, Samsung sued members of the striking union in a local court as tensions rose between both sides.
The Tamil Nadu state government confirmed the strike has ended, saying representatives from the Samsung management and striking workers had participated in the talks.
Samsung will file a written reply to the demands filed by the workers, the state government said.
More than 1,000 Samsung India workers have held protests close to the factory near Chennai in Tamil Nadu since Sept. 9, demanding higher wages and recognition of their union.
The plant is critical to Samsung's ambitions and accounted for roughly one-fifth of its $12 billion India sales in 2022-23. It is one of Samsung's two factories in India.
CITU will make an official announcement on Wednesday, union leader E. Muthukumar told Reuters.
Samsung workers earn 25,000 rupees ($300) on average each month and were demanding a raise of 36,000 rupees a month spread over three years, according to CITU.
Samsung has previously said the average monthly salary of full-time manufacturing workers at the plant is nearly double that of similar workers in the region.
