Samsung, union fail to strike wage deal

CHENNAI: Talks between Samsung and the Samsung India Workers Union over wage negotiations and disciplinary action against a section of workers ended in a stalemate on Tuesday. The next round of talks, facilitated by the labour department, has been scheduled for May 12.

Sources said the company had suspended 23 workers in February, followed by the suspension of two more in the past week. Show-cause notices have also been issued to four others since then, they added.

“On wage revisions, the company has informed us in writing that it cannot accept our demands. They said they are negotiating with the workers’ committee and have made an offer to the committee. This is not acceptable to us,” said a union member.

Notably, the protest by workers was withdrawn after the intervention of the state government and Samsung’s assurance to respond in writing to the union’s charter of demands, which included a wage revision to Rs 36,000 per month over three years.

“The company does not in any way exert pressure on employees to join any committee and has not taken any retaliatory action. Claims contrary to this are simply not true,” a Samsung India spokesperson told TNIE.