Workers at South Korean technology giant Samsung plan to extend their strike indefinitely over wages and benefits.
The announcement by the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) followed a three-day general strike that ended without progress in negotiations.
The NSEU union, which represents an incredible 30,000 employees, therefore called for an extended strike: “The company has no intention of entering into a dialogue even after the first general strike.”
Samsung union increases pressure
So far, an estimated 6,500 workers have taken part in the strike. A protest on Monday also attracted 3,000 participants, but Samsung denies the claims of production disruptions (via BBC):
“Samsung Electronics will ensure that there are no disruptions to the production lines. The company remains committed to negotiating with the union in good faith.”
According to local media reports, this is the first strike in the company’s 55-year history. The workers are demanding a 3.5% increase in basic wages, greater wage transparency and compensation for the economic losses suffered by the striking workers.
Several rounds of discussions in the run-up to the preliminary three-day strike this week were unsuccessful.
Samsung Electronics is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of memory chips, smartphones and televisions, and sells its products to both consumers and businesses. Thousands of workers could go on strike, and experts predict that disruptions would be unavoidable.
Samsung Electronics shares remained flat to slightly lower on the Korean stock exchange after the union announced its strike extension. In addition, the company’s share price, at $1,591, is below its all-time high of over $2,000 in January 2021.
TechRadar Pro has asked Samsung for comment on the ongoing strikes and disruptions. The company did not immediately respond.
