CHENNAI: The CITU-backed Samsung India Workers Union (SIWU) has decided to intensify the protest after the conciliation talks between the union and the management of the South Korean major failed on Wednesday.

Even as the union demanded the revocation of the suspension of three office bearers of SIWU, the management threatened to take further action on the workers which led to the collapse of the conciliation talks, alleged CITU Kancheepuram district secretary and SIWU president E Muthukumar.

“We have decided to hold a protest in all SIPCOTs in Kancheepuram on February 21 seeking the State government’s intervention to end Samsung workers' protest. The workers would also serve strike notice to hold a day-long strike on March 7,” he said.

Around 500 workers of the Samsung factory at Sunguvarchathram have been on a sit-in protest over the suspension orders of three office-bearers of the SIWU. The protest has been continuing since February 5. As many as 200 protesting workers, who were denied entry into the premises of the manufacturing plant after they had stepped outside the company premises for medical or personal reasons, are staging their protest outside the company premises for the third day.

"Samsung remains committed to resolving any issues by directly engaging with our workers. We do not condone illegal activities carried out by certain workers that threaten industrial peace and workplace safety. It is important for all employees to adhere to company policies, and those who violate these policies will be subject to disciplinary action after due legitimate process. Our priority is to maintain a safe and stable workplace for all workers," said a Samsung spokesperson.