Workers at Samsung Electronics launch first strike in the company’s 55-year history

The National Samsung Electronics Union announced a general strike on Monday. For the first time in the company’s 55-year history, Samsung Electronics is facing a real general strike in which participants will resign from all duties for the company.

Son Woo-mok, the union’s president, called for a general strike in a livestream on the union’s YouTube channel. The first wave of strikes will take place from July 8 to 10.

“The proposals put forward by the company in the third round of negotiations have infuriated union members and union leaders and rendered all attempts at a peaceful solution futile,” Son said.

“Until the company meets our demands, we will hold a general strike without work and without pay. We have the right to strike and the company brought this on itself,” Son added.

The union held two rounds of talks with Samsung Electronics on June 18 and 21. In the third round on June 27, Samsung offered a one-time payment in the form of company points (worth about $359), a reduction in mandatory vacation by two days (with compensation for unused vacation days), and a commitment to continue negotiations between the company and union leadership.

The union held a vote on Monday on whether to accept Samsung’s offer or go on strike. The vote ended at 5 p.m. The union held two rounds of last-minute negotiations with Jun Young-hyun, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., but to no avail. The union reportedly demanded wage increases and benefits for those who refused to sign the company’s 2024 wage agreement, as well as more paid vacations.

“The unilateral salary proposal for 2024 to increase wages by 3% was rejected by 855 union members. We have demanded a larger salary increase,” Son continued.

The union also called on Samsung to clarify and improve its standards for bonuses and incentives, including general performance incentives, which are calculated using an opaque economic value-added method. The union called on Samsung to honor management negotiators’ promises on paid leave (which Chung Hyun-ho rejected) and demanded that the company reimburse union members for losses they incurred while on strike without pay.

The union has been negotiating with Samsung since January. Since then, the union has secured the authority to conduct strikes following a mediation process between it and management overseen by the National Labor Relations Commission and a vote by union members. On May 29, Samsung workers announced they would begin the first strike in the company’s history. On June 7, the company held its first collective action, with union members using paid leave.

The union represents 28,310 members, the most of any union at Samsung Electronics.

By Kim Hae-jeong, Editor

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