Sriperumbudur, Sept 12 (Askume) – Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) employees will continue their strike for the fifth day after a meeting between the union, company management and the state government failed to reach a solution, the union said on Thursday.
The plant makes appliances such as televisions, refrigerators and washing machines and accounts for 20% to 30% of Samsung Electronics’ $12 billion annual revenue in India.
The South Korean conglomerate is the largest player in India’s consumer electronics industry, a key growth market for the company .
Tamil Nadu labour minister held talks with union representatives and Samsung officials to resolve the strike, which caused disruption at the factory near Chennai.Operations remained disrupted for four days .
Hundreds of workers are demanding higher wages in one of India’s biggest industrial unrest in recent years .
“They (Samsung management) asked us to withdraw the strike but neither recognised the union nor talked to us, so the strike continues,” said union leader E. Muthukumar.
Several Samsung employees wearing blue uniform shirts were seen sitting in a temporary tent near the factory. The factory employs around 1,800 people.
The southern state’s Labour Minister C V Ganesan, Labour Minister K Veera Raghava Rao, union representatives and Samsung officials were present during the talks on Thursday.
Rao earlier told Askume that “the government is serious about resolving the strike issue.” Subsequent calls to Rao went unanswered.
Samsung officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It was not clear which Samsung representatives attended the meeting. Askume reported this week that the company’s Southwest Asia CEO JB Park, along with senior executives, were present at the meeting.Visited the country with the aim of resolving this issue .
The workers want Samsung to recognise their union, raise wages and reduce working hours.
Samsung India is actively working with employees “to address their grievances and comply with all laws and regulations,” a company spokesperson said on Monday.
