Samsung moves TN court against workers’ union, CITU following month-long strike

Samsung Electronics has dragged its workers’ union to court following a strike called by its workers at its home appliances plant in Sriperumbudur Taluk in Tamil Nadu's Kanchipuram district. .As per the records on the district courts website, Samsung India filed a suit and five related interlocutory applications (IA) before the ADJ’s court in Kanchipuram on September 12 this year.In its suit, Samsung has urged the Additional District Judge at Kanchipuram to issue an injunction restraining the newly formed Samsung India Workers Union that is backed by CITU, from agitating and disrupting work..On September 19, the Court issued notice to the respondent-parties asking them to respond to Samsung's plea by October 28. It also issued a temporary injunction order directing the workers from indulging in any strike or protests demonstration in front of the factory main gate.."IA.1/2024 in Os.318/2024 order pronounced In the result this petition is allowed. Relief of temporary injunction is granted restraining the respondents by indulging in any form strikes as stated in the petition in front of the main gate of the petitoner's company or precincts thereof and within the radius of 500 meters of the factory premises thereof This order shall be in force only in respect of the on going strike till completion of conciliation before the conciliation officer, sriperumbudur. Os.318/2024 hearing on 28.10.2024," the trial court said in its order..The unregistered Samsung India Workers Union, CITU, its general secretary P Ellan, vice presidents S Mohan Raj, M Sivanesan and L Balaji and treasurer R Madesu have all been made respondent parties to the suit and the IAs..On September 2 this year, Samsung India had also approached the Madras High Court seeking police protection for ingress and egress of vehicles and people from its Sriperumbudur factory premises. In that petition, Samsung had also sought that its workmen and the workers’ union be restrained form making any “unlawful assembly inside or within a 500 mts radius” of the factor premises.At the time, Justice G Jayachandran had, however, refrained from passing any injunction orders since the workers’ union had made a statement that all its protests and meetings will be conducted beyond the 500-metre radius of the premises..Justice Jayachandran had disposed of Samsung’s petition directing the company and the workers to “resolve their dispute before a conciliation officer and arrive at a settlement as early as possible.”As per Samsung India, the workers have been protesting since August 19 demanding that their new union be recognised, and asking for negotiations on better wages, work condition etc. On July 11 this year, the union had submitted a charter of demands and on August 19, issued a strike work notice saying they will begin their strike if their demands are not met within the next 14 days.The dispute is also pending hearing before the labour commission for conciliation, Samsung had told the High Court..[Read Madras High Court Order]