Samsung Electronics Union Calls First-Ever Strike

A union representing thousands of workers at Samsung Electronics has made history by calling the first-ever strike at the South Korean technology giant since its founding over five decades ago.

Samsung Electronics factory

The National Samsung Electronics Union, which has about 28,000 members, accounting for more than a fifth of the company’s total workforce, has decided to take a stand against the company’s neglect of laborers. The union has been in talks with the management since the start of this year over wages, but the two sides have so far failed to strike a deal.

“We can’t stand persecution against labor unions anymore. We are declaring a strike in the face of the company’s neglect of laborers,” a union representative said during a live-streamed news conference.

The union has demanded a 6.5% pay rise and a bonus pegged to the company’s earnings. However, the management has been unwilling to budge, leading to the current stalemate.

Samsung Electronics logo

Samsung Electronics is the world’s largest maker of memory chips, smartphones, and televisions. The company’s management has been in talks with the union since the start of this year, but the two sides have so far failed to strike a deal.

Analysts have warned that a full-scale strike could affect the firm’s computer chip manufacturing and impact the global supply chains of electronics. This could have far-reaching consequences for the technology industry as a whole.

“We can’t stand persecution against labor unions anymore. We are declaring a strike in the face of the company’s neglect of laborers.” - Union Representative

Samsung Electronics is the flagship unit of South Korean conglomerate Samsung Group. It is the biggest of the country’s family-controlled businesses that dominate Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

Samsung Group headquarters

Samsung Group was known for not allowing unions to represent its workers until 2020 when the company came under intense public scrutiny after its chairman was prosecuted for market manipulation and bribery.

The current strike is a significant development in the labor movement in South Korea, and its outcome could have a lasting impact on the country’s labor laws and practices.

Labor union protest

As I reflect on my own experiences with labor unions, I am reminded of the importance of collective bargaining and the need for fair treatment of workers. The strike by Samsung Electronics union is a testament to the power of collective action and the determination of workers to fight for their rights.

Labor union solidarity