Foxconn workers call off strike

CHENNAI - Striking employees of mobile phone accessory manufacturer Foxconn India have called off their one-day strike Wednesday.

The workers began sit-in strike Tuesday night demanding the management to negotiate with them as well as accord recognition to the union.

“The strike is illegal and began without giving the requisite notice. The workers should have given eight weeks notice - for units located in special economic zones (SEZ) - whereas the Centre for Indian Trade Union (CITU) had given us around two weeks notice,” said a senior official requesting anonymity.

The workers’ union was affiliated to the CITU.

The company official said it was assessing the damages -loss of production - during the strike.

The Foxconn India management has recognised the DMK-backed Foxconn India Thozilalar Munnetra Sangam (FITMS) and has concluded a three-year wage settlement with it in June.

“When we were about to close the agreement, the CITU demanded that the company management should hold talks with it which we refused,” the official said.

CITU official Muthukumar was not available for comment despite several attempts by IANS to reach him.

FITMS president C.V.M.P. Ezhilarasan told IANS: “The company has 1,146 permanent workers and 696 are our members. It is not known how many members of the CITU-backed union has in the company.”

He said the wage agreement has nearly doubled the worker’s monthly income.