Hundreds of Workers Go on Strike in Samsung Electronics’ Southern India Plant

• Countless workers went on strike in Samsung Electronics' southern India plant, protesting for better wages and working conditions.
• Production has been severely impacted. Considering that the festive season is just around the corner, this is possibly the worst time for a strike.
• Samsung executives are trying their best to resolve the issue but no solution has been found yet.

On Monday, hundreds of workers from Samsung Electronics' southern India plant went on strike to demand better wages and improved working conditions. However, the most important demand requires Samsung to recognize the formation of a union, backed by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions group.

The plant in question is located in Sriperumbudur, one of the two factories of Samsung in India. Being the smaller one of the two, it has 1,800 employees and contributes about 20% to 30% of Samsung's total $12 billion revenue in India.

After the strike commenced, posters of Indefinite Strike" were put up outside the facility and hundreds of uniformed workers sat outside, setting up tents for shade. According to a register signed by the protestors, at least 800 workers have gone on strike. But the actual number may vary.

On Wednesday, Union leader E. Muthukumar made a statement that the strike will continue for a third day" because no settlement has been reached so far.

If they (Samsung) had given us a living wage and treated us with respect, we wouldn't have thought of joining a union' - A Samsung Worker

These concerns are also backed by some Indian politicians who attended the protest on Tuesday.

What Is Samsung Doing About This?

The strike has had a significant impact on production. And considering the festive season is right around the corner in India, it's the worst time for a strike. So Samsung executives are doing their best to resolve the situation.

The company's Southwest Asia CEO, JB Park, and other senior executives have already visited the factory and are trying to work out a solution.

The last statement by the company was made on Monday when they said they are engaging with the workers to address any grievances they may have and comply with all laws and regulations." But there's been no updates since then.

This protest follows a recent strike held by 36,500 workers in Samsung's South Korean branch in July and August. They were also fighting for better wages. But unlike in India, the strike didn't disrupt production over there.

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