Foxconn union-management deadlock continues

Nearly 250 workers of Foxconn (FIH Ltd) along with union leaders, including A Soundararajan of CITU, were arrested this afternoon when they tried to forcibly enter the company’s factory in Sriperumbudur. The company has suspended operations since Saturday.

This was after talks between the union and the management before the Assistant Labour Commissioner (ALC) Sriperumbudur, failed to find a solution.

The union wanted the company to allow workers to enter the plant but the company maintained that since there was no production, the workers were given leave along with salary. This was rejected by the union saying there was no provision in law for such an arrangement.

During the discussion, the ALC told officials of the Taiwanese electronics manufacturing company to open the gates and not to suspend operations. However, officials declined, saying there was no production, and there was no point in allowing workers in.

Soundararajan told workers assembled in front of the Nokia SEZ, which houses the factory, that since the management did not allow entry, there was no choice but to try and enter. They tried to open the chained gate but policemen intervened and arrested them. They were taken in buses to a marriage hall in Sriperumbudur and released in the evening, said a senior police official.

The arrest was a preventive measure to ensure law and order. A court order says that there should not be any form of protest within 200 m of the Nokia SEZ. However, on humanitarian grounds the police allowed the protest for the last two days. Union leaders were aware of this and cooperated with the police, he said.

According to Soundararajan, during the discussion, the ALC said that it was ‘illegal’ for Foxconn to close the gate. The ALC will consult with his superiors on further course of action against the company, which should have first approached the government and given 90 days notice to suspend operations. Instead, they issued a notice of suspending the operations from Saturday, he said.

The next round of talks between the union and management in front of ALC will be held on Friday, he said. Company officials present during discussions declined to comment.