**Mass Detentions as Samsung Workers in India Continue Strike for Better Conditions**

In a significant labor dispute, Indian police detained around 600 employees of Samsung Electronics and union members on Tuesday. These detentions occurred during a street protest near the company’s factory in Chennai. The employees have been on strike since September 9, demanding better wages, an eight-hour workday, and union recognition.

The demonstrators, who have been camping out in a makeshift tent near the plant, argue that their current pay is inadequate. Workers at the Chennai facility, Samsung’s second-largest plant in India, reportedly earn an average of 25,000 rupees per month (approximately $300). They are pushing for this figure to increase to 36,000 rupees within three years. The factory is crucial to Samsung’s operations, generating nearly one-third of the company's $12 billion annual revenue in India.

Senior state police official Charles Sam Rajadurai stated that the protesters were detained due to the public inconvenience caused by their march. The union, CITU, claims that since the strike began, about 10,000 workers have been detained although most were released shortly after. Local media corroborates reports of mass detentions in recent weeks.

Samsung's management has reacted by threatening the striking workers with dismissal but has shown a willingness to negotiate a consensus solution. The company contends that the workers’ current wages are nearly double those of similar positions in the region. The dispute remains unresolved, with failed negotiations contributing to growing tension between the company and the workforce.

Besides Chennai, Samsung operates another significant factory in Noida, near New Delhi. The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) represents 24% of the workforce there, encompassing around 31,000 members.