India: Iron Fist Against Samsung Workers’ Strike
Dozens of workers handcuffed in Chennai, in the south of the country
The Indian government wants to turn the country into a new global factory for semiconductors and electronic products. And as Prime Minister Narendra Modi marks the first 100 days of his third mandate, Indian authorities have made it clear that they have no intention of tolerating “unrest and protests” that disrupt the functioning of foreign companies.
Indian police have arrested 104 workers at South Korean electronics giant Samsung who went on strike for a week complaining of inadequate wages. The arrests occurred on the eve of an unauthorized protest march. Officers handcuffed workers and some union leaders outside a Samsung home appliance factory near Chennai (formerly Madras), in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Workers blocked production at the giant factory, which alone generates $12 billion, about a third of Samsung’s annual turnover in India. A strike of this magnitude has been sharply criticized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which is trying to attract foreign investment into the country in support of the Make in India program. Very low labor costs are a major factor favoring the entry of foreign manufacturers into India, which is benefiting from efforts by Apple and many other global companies to diversify global supply chains that are overly dependent on China.
