Thousands of employees at Samsung Electronics go on strike
At Samsung Electronics, the South Korean tech giant, thousands of employees have gone on strike following failed wage negotiations. "Today's general strike is just the beginning," said union chief Son Woo Mok on Monday. The strike is expected to last three days and could also impact the world economy significantly, as Samsung is a major producer of high-end memory chips.
Thousands of female and male employees gathered in black raincoats and with bands bearing the slogan "Fight with Solidarity" outside the company's factory in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, on Monday. The union reported that around 5200 people had joined the protest.
"Does management still think this won't affect the production line?", asked Lee Hyun Kuk, Vice President of the union. "I'm very excited," said a union member, declining to name himself. "We're making history."
The strike is due to Samsung Management's wage negotiations with the National Samsung Electronics Union since January. However, both parties have not been able to bridge their differences. The company's offer of a 5.1% wage increase was rejected by the union side. They also demand improvements in annual leave and transparency in performance-based bonuses.
The union, which represents around 30,000 members - over half the company's workforce - announced the three-day strike in the past week. There was already a one-day strike in June, the first such action in the company's history.
- Despite the Samsung Management's proposal of a 5.1% wage increase, the National Samsung Electronics Union, represented by thousands of employees, deemed it insufficient and rejected it during the collective bargaining process.
- The walkout by Samsung Electronics' employees, led by the union, has garnered support from thousands of male and female workers, who donned black raincoats and carried banners with the slogan "Fight with Solidarity" during the strike.
- The ongoing strike by Samsung Electronics' employees, which is part of a series of actions since the failed wage negotiations in January, could potentially lead to significant disruptions in the world economy, given Samsung's role as a major producer of high-end memory chips.
