Samsung union declares indefinite strike – DW – 10.07.2024

A union representing workers at Samsung Electronics in South Korea said on Wednesday it would continue its strike “indefinitely.”

The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) had previously announced a three-day strike. The industrial action is the largest in the history of the technology giant.

The company had previously forecast a significant operating decline for the second quarter.

What do we know about the strike?

The NSEU said it had decided to extend the strike because management had shown no signs of willingness to talk.

“(We) declare a second indefinite general strike from July 10 after learning that management is not willing to talk,” the NSEU said in a statement. It said it had revised its demands to include a 3.5% increase in basic salary and a day off to mark the union’s formation.

NSEU Vice President Lee Hyun-kuk Lee told Reuters that management had offered a three percent raise, but the union believed its demands better reflected inflation.

The NSEU has around 30,000 members, which corresponds to almost a quarter of Samsung’s South Korean workforce.

More than 5,000 Samsung employees took part in the strike, which began on Monday. The NSEU called on more workers to join the industrial action, including “those who are hesitant”.

“Your determination is needed to advance our goals and our victory. Let us join forces to protect our rights and create a better future,” the union said.

Samsung insists strike will not affect production

Samsung told the AFP news agency that the union’s industrial action would not cause any disruption to the production process.

“Samsung Electronics will ensure that there are no disruptions in the production lines,” said a Samsung spokesman.

“The company remains committed to negotiating in good faith with the union.”

Meanwhile, Lee told Reuters that the union had concluded that the strike had caused production disruptions on certain chip manufacturing lines.

“At some point they will kneel down and come to the negotiating table. We are confident of our victory,” the union said in a statement.

sdi/wmr (AFP, Reuters)