Samsung trade union registration: Madras High Court directs Registrar to take a call within six weeks

The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Registrar of Trade Unions to take a decision within six weeks on an application filed on June 25, 2024 for registration of Samsung India Thozhilalar Sangam, affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy issued the direction after advocate N.G.R. Prasad, representing the general secretary of the union P. Ellan, contended that the Registrar could not keep the application pending forever without taking any decision whatsoever.

The judge disposed of a writ petition filed by Mr. Ellan after hearing Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran for the Registrar and senior counsel G. Rajagopalan for Samsung India Electronics Private Limited. The company had objected to the use of the word ‘Samsung’ in the name of the trade union.

The dispute between a section of the labourers and the management over the regisration of the trade union had snowballed into a 38-day strike at the South Korea based multinational manufacturing conglomerate’s factory near Chennai between September and October this year.