DMK, and its alliance partners in Tamil Nadu stand on opposite sides of the Samsung workers strike

The cast-iron coalition of secular forces in Tamil Nadu, that has thwarted the BJP attacks to invade and conquer the state – in Assembly and Lok Saba elections – is beginning to show signs of strain if the difference of opinion and approach to the ongoing strike at Samsung plant in Chennai is any indication.

While Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK supremo MK Stalin wears a ‘business-friendly’ face as he went about attracting investments from US captains and industry a few days ago on a tour to America, and has seemingly taken a pro-management stance in the ‘industrial action’ at South Korean electronics major’s Samsung plant in Chennai, his alliance partners Congress, Left and smaller parties were seen siding with the striking workers.

Incidentally, the labour strike at Chennai’s Samsung plant entered the second month and there appears no immediate resolution of the issue. But for the ruling coalition the strike split it wide open with ruling DMK becoming a partner to a “negotiated deal between workers and the management”, which the workers rejected as those representing them in the tripartite meeting with government were not actually representing the workers. They were not part of the workers who were on strike, the newly formed union of Samsung workers said. But, the main demand is still the recognition of the trade union, which is being dismissed by the Samsung management.

TN Govt standing with Samsung

Incidentally, the state government unleashed force on the striking workers, and on Wednesday morning state police detained key union leaders and removed the tents where protesters were camping for over a month now. Since September 9, more than a thousand workers affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) have been pressing for recognition of their newly formed union and demanding improved working conditions.

In fact the strong police action came just before a group of DMK’s alliance partners – leaders from Congress, CPI(M), CPI, MDMK, and VCK, were to join the protesters at the site on Wednesday.

Political analysts were quick to notice this difference in approach to the labour issue and wonder whether this was strong enough to trigger greater differences between the alliance partners.

When the protests started last month, CM Stalin was in the US to woo global investments to the state. Incidentally, the DMK has always presented a business-friendly face and this contributed to significant projects in the state that have enabled TN to strengthen its manufacturing base in the country. The strike by Left-affiliated unions, coinciding with the CM’s foreign tour was being seen as a “betrayal” by DMK sources. The Left has been supporting the DMK for the past several years.

New workers union rejects ‘solution’

The company, Samsung India, at the centre of the storm, did not want to engage with trade unions and instead chose to deal and negotiate with the workers directly. Samsung India started the plant in 2007 and this is the first instance of a strike in the company and it has impacted the company’s manufacturing schedules. The recently formed trade union was stopped from being registered by the government, trade union sources allege. And, this decision is under challenge in the Madras High Court.

The state government has been trying to get both sides to negotiate and settle the matter and in this connection, a meeting was held in which three ministers participated. According to sources, the company agreed to a wage hike and other benefits, and the government claimed that a settlement was reached.

But the trade union and workers rejected the contention saying that those who participated on their behalf did not represent them at all.

In fact, the company had also declared that there was a resolution of the issue. “Samsung India today signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the workmen committee of its Chennai factory… We are cognizant of the Tamil Nadu government’s efforts to end the illegal strike and are thankful to the authorities for their constant support,” the company spokesperson said.

But the workers would have none of it. The CITU president A Soundararajan said the workers who signed the memorandum on Monday were a few who weren’t part of the strike. He declared that the strike would continue as its core demand for recognition of the trade union was not accepted.

He also reiterated that the strike will continue until the core demand of recognition of a union is met. On Wednesday morning, CITU leaders Soundararajan and Muthukumar were among those taken into custody. The CITU has decided to intensify and expand the strike and had called for a token strike across the state on October 21.