The Nokia Workers Strike for Wage Hike and Against Victimization.

Nokia in Chennai has been granted SEZ status. In August 2009, the workers at Nokia went on strike. According to a report, the strike started suddenly on 13th August 2009after announcement of the new pay proposal with a salary hike of only Rs 200 per month. The workers argued that this was equivalent to no hike in salary despite repeated requests. The workers union had initially demanded a hike in salary in 2008, which was not met. In 2009, citing problems caused by the recession, demands for wage hikes were also denied. The workers went on strike. The strike effectively continued for only two days, but the production of 300,000 handsets was affected. There was a very quick response from the Labour Department pressuring the workers to stop the strike and give time to settle the dispute.[8] On 14th August, management agreed to talk to the workers regarding their demands and also offered a salary hike of Rs 1400 per month.[9] It is also interesting to note that trade union wing of ruling DMK party the Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) had formed a trade union in- Nokia Workers Progressive Union, affiliated to LPF. The strike was a sudden outburst; but the negotiations were done by the LPF. Through those negotiations, a wage pact was finally signed between management and the LPF giving the workers a salary hike of Rs 1500 per month.[10]Then there was another strike at the Nokia plant in January 2010. The strike lasted for three days and ended after assurance from the company that the suspended workers would be taken back. In July 2010, Nokia workers again went on strike. Actually the management was in the process of finalizing a long term wage settlement with the union, but a fraction of the workers were opposed to the proposed settlement. The demand was also to reinstate the suspended workers.The six-day strike ended after a wage agreement for three years was signed and management agreed to revoke the suspension of the employees.