Samsung says it pays 1.8 times the industry average salary in Sriperumbudur
As the strike by Samsung Electronics workers in Chennai entered its 16th day, the company on Tuesday claimed that it is paying 1.8 times more salary than the average salary received by manufacturing workers in the region.
“At Samsung India, the welfare of our employees is our top priority. The average monthly salary of our full-time production workers at the Chennai plant is 1.8 times the average salary of similar employees working at other companies in the region,” a statement from the company said. According to the striking workers under the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the average salary at Samsung is around Rs 20,000-25,000 per month. An industry body had told Business Standard that the average salary in the region is around Rs 16,000 and may vary depending on whether the company is a global player, a domestic powerhouse or an MSME. The current assessment includes all industrial units in the region.
Sriperumbudur, a major industrial cluster in the state, is reported to have around 35 Fortune 500 companies and thousands of micro, small and medium enterprises in the region. Tamil Nadu has the third largest number of MSMEs in the country, with a share of 8 percent and around five million enterprises.
“Our employees are eligible for overtime and other benefits and we provide a working environment that ensures the highest standards of health, safety and welfare. We reiterate that we are ready to engage with our employees to address their grievances so that they can return to work at the earliest,” the company said. The employees are demanding recognition of their union and also a salary hike to Rs 36,000 over a period of three years.
First publication: Sep 24, 2024 | 7:41 PM IST