104 Samsung workers detained for planning protest in Chennai: ‘Paralyzing peace’
Samsung workers in Chennai were detained by police while planning a protest march over low wages. The strike has been ongoing for a week, impacting production.
Police have detained 104 striking workers protesting low wages at a Samsung Electronics plant in Chennai, as they were planning a march on Monday without permission, police officials said as per news agency Reuters.
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The detention marks an escalation of a strike by workers at a Samsung home appliance plant where workers have been protesting for seven days as they seek higher wages. The strike has disrupted production at the plant that contributes roughly a third of Samsung's annual India revenue of $12 billion.
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The workers had planned to start a protest march, but were detained as there was no permission given as there are schools, colleges and hospitals in that area, senior police officer of Kancheepuram district, K. Shanmugam told Reuters.
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He said, “It is the main area which would become totally paralysed and (the protest would) disturb public peace. We have detained them in wedding halls as all of them can't be in stations.”
The protest have been backed by labour group Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and Samsung has initiated discussions with its workers at the Chennai plant “to resolve all issues at the earliest”.