Strike halts production at Foxconn India
By IANSFriday, September 24, 2010
CHENNAI - Production at Foxconn India’s plant near here which makes mobile phone accessories came to a grinding halt with workers affiliated to Foxconn India Thozilalar Sangam (FITS) striking work from Thursday night, union officials said Friday.
Around 1,000 workers resorting to a sit-in were arrested by police Friday afternoon but released later.
On Sep 23, FITS - affiliated to Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) - called off their one-day strike.
Giving the reason for the strike, CITU general secretary A.Soundararajan told IANS: “Even as a dispute has been raised with the labour commissioner about not holding talks with our union and a conciliatory meeting is scheduled on Sep 27, the management has declared that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Foxconn India Thozilalar Munnetra Sangam (FITMS).”
The FITMS is affiliated to Labour Progressive Front (LPF) - the labour wing of ruling DMK.
FITS president E. Muthukumar told IANS: “Our union has the majority membership and it has been proved again and again holding agitations successfully. Let the management hold a secret ballot to decide the majority union and then hold the negotiations.”
Accepting the challenge, FITMS president C.V.M.P. Ezhilarasan said: “Let CITU agree for secret ballots in all the units it has its union. They can be selective.”
According to him the provocation for the strike by the FITMS members is the announcement by the management to deduct pay for their Wednesday strike.
Meanwhile, Foxconn India has termed the sit in strike by a section of the employees as illegal.
“The management has also obtained an injunction order from the court restraining workers from carrying out such illegal strike, assembly, demonstration, obstructing people, obstructing movement of men and materials and other such disruptive methods and practice within 100 metres from its premises,” the company said in a statement issued late night Thursday.
Foxconn India is one the major vendors for Nokia India.
–Indo Asian News Service
