- The National Samsung Electronics Union encouraged its 28,400 members to take a day off on Friday, with plans for further strikes if management does not engage in communication.
- The union is demanding more transparency in how Samsung calculates bonuses, arguing that the current formula is too complex and fail to reflect worker contributions.
OUR TAKE
Companies and their employees are supposed to be in an equal partnership, with shared goals and interests. However, when faced with business challenges, especially financial shortage, some companies tend to sacrifice their employees’ interests, including cutting off their bonus, to preserve their own interests. When the employees’ interests are infringed, actions such as strikes will be taken, like what happened in Samsung on Friday.
–Audrey Huang, BTW reporter
In South Korea, the National Samsung Electronics Union, representing over 28,000 workers, staged a one-day strike on Friday, calling for better bonus payments and more transparent management practices.
Samsung Union’s one-day strike
The Union, comprising some 28,400 workers, encouraged its members to take a day off on Friday, strategically placed between a public holiday and the weekend. This action will develop into a larger scale if management remains unresponsive.
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Major reason of the strike
At the core of the conflict is the issue of bonus payments for Samsung‘s labour force, particularly those in the semiconductor division. Last year, these workers did not receive additional payments due to the unit’s financial losses. The union advocated for a simpler approach based on operating profit, similar to some industry peers.
The impact of the strike
Despite the strike, Samsung maintains that there has been no disruption to production or management activities. The company asserts its commitment to ongoing negotiations with the union. However, the union fails to accurately count participants in the strike, which complicates assessing its impact. This labour action coincides with Samsung facing significant business challenges, including a sharp decline in operating profits and increased competition in the memory chip market.
