Indian police detain 104 striking Samsung workers for planning march

STORY: 104 striking Samsung workers were detained by police on Monday (September 16).

Officials said they were held for planning a march without permission, which they needed since there are schools, colleges and hospitals in the area.

It marks an escalation of a strike at a Samsung home appliance plant near Chennai, in southern India.

More than 1,000 employees have boycotted work for a week.

They want higher wages, better working hours and recognition of a union backed by influential labor group the Center of Indian Trade Unions - or CITU.

Samsung isn't keen to recognize any union backed by a national labor group like the CITU and talks have not yet led to any agreement.

The move has disrupted production that contributes roughly a third of Samsung's annual India revenue of $12 billion.

Workers have protested at a makeshift tent near the plant since last week.

The strike adds to Samsung's challenges in India, a key growth market.

The South Korean company plans job cuts of up to 30% of its overseas staff in some divisions, including in India.

India's antitrust body has also found Samsung and other smartphone companies violated competition laws by colluding with e-commerce giants to launch devices exclusively.

Samsung did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

But on Friday the firm said it had initiated discussions with workers at the Chennai plant "to resolve all issues at the earliest."

The Samsung protests have cast a shadow on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan of courting foreign investors to "Make in India".

He also aims to triple electronics production to $500 billion in six years.