Samsung Electronics and its labor union are set to resume talks today. The unionized workers of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), the company’s largest labor union, are on strike over disputes on wage increase rates and performance bonus standards, and attention is focused on whether they can reach an agreement.
According to industry sources, Samsung Electronics sent a letter to the union the previous day, expressing hope for a prompt resolution to the strike and proposing an unconditional resumption of dialogue. Earlier on the 16th, the union sent a letter to the company demanding the resumption of wage negotiations.
At the time, the union earnestly requested “a sincere return to negotiations with genuine proposals” and warned, “If the 19th, further production disruptions do not respond to wage negotiations are inevitable.” The union also announced its plans to hold a rally at the Giheung plant on the 22nd. It hinted at the possibility of collective action near the residence of Lee Jae Yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics.
Management and the union will meet again that day to resume talks. The union went on an indefinite strike on the 8th, 11 days after the last meeting between the management, led by Jeon Young Hyun, head of the semiconductor (DS) division, and the union.
In a YouTube live broadcast that day, the union stated that the strike’s purpose was to conclude negotiations and emphasized the need to promote dialogue. They highlighted the significance of the union’s demands being part of the management-union discussions.
The union also assured us that they would ensure that negotiations proceed quickly. However, they noted that since they are already in the midst of a strike, they have no disadvantage in ending the dialogue midway if the process proves unsatisfactory.
After confirming their demands, the company and the union will schedule future negotiation sessions.
The union is conducting a general strike, demanding a guaranteed one-day leave for the labor union founding, a minimum of 3.5% raise for all union members, improvements to the performance bonus system, and compensation for economic losses due to the strike.
However, production disruptions are reportedly minimized as most semiconductor production lines are automated, and alternative labor has been deployed.
