Samsung Workers in South Korea Hold First-Ever Strike

Workers at Samsung Electronics in South Korea staged their first-ever strike on Friday, according to the head of a major union representing tens of thousands of employees.

Samsung Electronics, one of the world’s largest smartphone manufacturers and a leading producer of high-end memory chips for generative AI, has been in negotiations with the union over wages and benefits since January. Despite months of discussions, the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement.

Lee Hyun-kuk, vice president of the National Samsung Electronics Union, described Friday’s action as “largely symbolic, but a beginning.” He indicated that further strikes could occur if management remains unresponsive. “We have plans for follow-up strikes if the management is not willing to communicate with us openly,” Lee told AFP, adding that an all-out general strike was also a possibility.

Union head Son Woo-mok said that the strike was taking place through “the use of paid leave, and it is understood that many employees are participating.” He noted that the turnout for work was significantly lower than usual, though he could not provide exact numbers.

Samsung Electronics stated that it has been “diligently engaging in negotiations with the union and will continue to do so,” asserting that there has been “no impact on production and business activities.” The company also noted that the paid leave usage rate was lower than on June 5 of the previous year, which, like June 7, was between a public holiday and a weekend.

Around 10 workers protested outside Samsung’s main office in Seoul on Friday, chanting, “Respect labour!” The company has offered a 5.1 percent pay hike this year. The union indicated that it might accept this offer if Samsung also grants an additional day of annual leave and ensures transparent performance-based bonuses.

Market research firm TrendForce reported that the strike would not affect DRAM and NAND Flash production or cause shipment shortages, as it involves headquarters employees rather than production line workers. The firm’s report highlighted that semiconductor fabs rely heavily on automated production, requiring minimal human labor.

The strike is historically significant, given Samsung’s long-standing resistance to unionization. “There is a gradual tendency towards the empowerment of labor in South Korea,” said Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korean Studies at the University of Oslo. Samsung’s founder, Lee Byung-chul, had vehemently opposed unions, and it wasn’t until the late 2010s that the first labor union at Samsung Electronics was formed. In 2020, Lee Jae-yong, the founder’s grandson, apologized for the company’s past labor issues and pledged to ensure the company would no longer be criticized for its anti-union stance.

Despite the historic nature of the strike, union deputy Lee emphasized that it would not disrupt production. “We just want Samsung to hear our voice,” he said.

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