Samsung Workers' protest continues, pressure mounts on MK Stalin

DMK alliance leaders, including CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan, and Congress leader K V Thangkabalu, met with the protesting workers on October 9 to express solidarity.

With the protest by Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) entering its 31st day on October 9, several political parties have extended their support after the police arrested key leaders of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

CITU, which is leading the protest at the South Korean electronics giant’s Sriperumbudur unit in Tamil Nadu since September 9 alleged that police arrested 10 workers from their residences late at night on Tuesday. The police also removed a temporary tent erected at the protest site, which is on privately owned property. Meanwhile, the Madras High Court said that Samsung workers are not barred from peacefully protesting.

Congress leader and Sivaganga MP Karti Chidambaram wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "Why are protesting workers arrested? Were they a threat to law & order?"

Alliance partners have expressed dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the situation. This poses a challenge for Chief Minister MK Stalin, who needs to strike a balance between the demands of his alliance partners and workers' welfare with the state’s industrial growth. DMK alliance leaders, including CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan, and Congress leader K V Thangkabalu, met with the protesting workers on October 9 to express solidarity.

Also, read: Tamil Nadu: Cracks in DMK-led ruling alliance, CPM slams police 'crack down' on protesting Samsung workers

While Samsung continues to refuse to recognise the CITU-affiliated union, the protest is likely to continue. CITU state president A Soundararajan alleged that police have filed fabricated cases against employees. "The police acted with high-handedness and removed the tent of protesting workers from private land. We have decided to continue with the strike despite the police's efforts to scare the remaining employees." E Muthukumar, president of the protesting SIWU, said: "The state government appears to be acting on behalf of the MNC. We have decided to intensify the protests."

Despite the rain, the protest continued, leading to the police arresting around 250 people, including Soundararajan and Muthukumar, for defying orders.

CPI(M) leader and Madurai MP S Venkatesan posted on social media, “The police brutality against workers who are fighting democratically for trade union rights is highly condemnable. It is unacceptable that the guardians of the law become the guardians of Samsung."

The police action has also drawn ire from the opposition. AIADMK, Naam Tamilar Katchi, PMK, and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) accused Tamil Nadu MK Stalin Stalin of being anti-worker.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said in an X post, "It is shocking that office-bearers of the protesting union were arrested at midnight, and the workers were intimidated by the police."

Seeman, the founder of Naam Tamilar Katchi, said: "By arresting union leaders at night and threatening their families, the DMK government is siding with Samsung and betraying workers."

PMK founder S Ramadoss accused the DMK of trying to divide the workers and acting as an agent of MNCs.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said the government is not trying to curb the protest. “There is no issue between CITU and the state government. We will resolve the issues through talks. We urge all workers to consider the welfare of their families and the future of the youth.”

Also, read: Samsung workers' protest enters 10th day; Union urges Tamil Nadu government to intervene