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Although the company has shown willingness to talk to its workers and accept their key demands, it is CITU that is causing a roadblock to a solution.
Even after 30 days, the strike at Samsung Electronics's Sriperumbudur plant is yet to see its end.
Sources aware of the talks among the state government, employees, and the company blame the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), which is leading the protests, for the impasse.
According to a government source, although the company has shown willingness to talk to its workers and accept their key demands, it is CITU that is causing a roadblock to a solution.
"Citu wants its union to be accepted and insists that talks should be held only with their leaders, who are not Samsung employees," said the government source.
On Saturday, Chief Minister M K Stalin directed Industries Minister T R B Rajaa, MSME Minister T M Anbarasan and Labour Minister C V Ganesan to lead talks in order to find an early solution to the issue.
On Sunday, senior Samsung executives met Rajaa to find an early solution to the dispute.
"We are confident that Samsung's management and their employees will come together and arrive at an amicable solution that benefits everyone involved," Rajaa said.
Interestingly, another source indicated that Samsung's production has not been significantly affected. Nearly 1,300 workers went on strike at the firm's plant on September 9.
They demanded higher wages, recognition for their union, and better amenities, among other demands.
'The average monthly salary of our permanent manufacturing workers at the Chennai plant is 1.8 times that of similar workers employed in the electronics sector. Our workers are also eligible for overtime pay and other allowances,' a Samsung statement said.
'The company provides a workplace environment that assures the highest standards of health, safety, and welfare,' Sam sung added.
The major bottleneck, according to sources, is that CITU wants talks to involve Samsung India Workers' Union President E Muthukumar, a veteran CITU leader, who is not an employee of the company.
On the other hand, the company is clear that it is not ready to negotiate with a third party. When asked about this, a union leader had said, "CITU means workers."
CITU claims that workers face long working hours, intense pressure to finish products like refrigerators, washing machines, or TVs within 10 to 15 seconds.
They have non-stop work for 4 to 5 hours at a stretch, and unsafe working conditions.
Last week, around 600 workers and union members were detained for organising a street protest.
Samsung, on the other hand, asserts that its workers receive various perks.
They can also avail the employee purchase discount programme (up to 50 per cent), health insurance for employees and dependents, and long-term service allowances (10 years, 15 years or 20 years), among other benefits.
According to CITU, Samsung workers in Seoul receive Rs 450,000 to Rs 600,000 on average in wages and salaries per month while their Indian counterparts work for Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000.
"The average tenure of its manufacturing workforce is more than 10 years, which underscores the satisfaction its workers have," said a government source, quoting the firm.
"There are over 900 workers with more than 10 years of service, whose average salary is around Rs 40,000 per month before other perks," the source added.
"In fact, the longest-serving operators in the company are earning as much as Rs 69,000 before adding other perks."
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
