Far From Over—NSEU Announces Indefinite Strike at Samsung

NSEU union workers at Samsung are on an indefinite strike in Hwaseong, South Korea, uniting in their demand for better benefits. The National Samsung Electronics Union had attempted a one-day strike last month and then announced a three-day strike earlier this month. Samsung union workers have attempted to initiate negotiations with the company over pay and benefits but the tech giant has been reluctant to come to the table to discuss the conditions laid out by the workers on strike. 

The scale of the strike had been limited considering the size of the company and the magnitude of work being done at the organization, but an indefinite strike could have the impact the Samsung workers were hoping for.

Image: Samsung

Union Workers at Samsung Declare an Indefinite Strike

The National Samsung Electronics Union in South Korea is one of the biggest coalitions of union workers that Samsung has seen, however, it’s quite a young force with only five years having passed since its inception. Samsung has long been accused of union-busting activities which makes the union presence quite an impressive feat. The union has approximately 30,000 members who make up a quarter of Samsung’s workforce in South Korea. 

Official numbers suggest that 6,500 Samsung union workers have joined the strike, but if the full force of the labor union decides to participate, it could become hard for the SK giant to ignore. Samsung initially claimed the strike would not affect production or distribution but many believe that the company’s high-bandwidth chip business, one of the areas where the company has weakened over the last few quarters, could be affected. Delays in the delivery of these chips could also have a negative effect on the country’s exports, so it is imperative for the company to reach an agreement with the workers.

Why Are Samsung Union Workers Striking?

The indefinite strike faced by Samsung results from the workers’ pursuit of a few key demands—better pay, an improved bonus system, and an additional day of annual leave. The bonus system in particular is a matter of much concern to the workers as it is reported that Samsung has a very complex way of calculating how much they offer to each worker. 

A more transparent system could be essential for employees to see what they are owed and how they can work towards getting their due through these additional systems. Workers have also been worried that the unsteady performance of the chips unit could put these bonuses at risk, cutting down on what they can expect to receive.

Apart  from the strike demands, media outlet Hankyoreh has come out with a report on the harsh working conditions at these factories, reporting that a large number of the workers have joined the protest because they don’t want to be “treated as disposable parts.” Workers at the 8-inch semiconductor production line at Samsung’s Giheung plant are largely made up of women, many of whom have joined the strike. As a result of the Samsung workers’ indefinite strike, production at the facility has reportedly been scaled down from operating at 80 percent capacity to 18 percent capacity. 

Samsung Claims Labor Union Activities Have Not Disrupted Production

The NSEU reported that the workers’ strike at Samsung has disrupted production but the company has disregarded all such reports. The company told BBC, “Samsung Electronics will ensure no disruptions occur in the production lines. The company remains committed to engaging in good faith negotiations with the union.” 

However, the union replied, “The company has no intention to engage in a dialogue even after the first general strike, thus we declare a second general strike starting from July 10th, lasting indefinitely.” The NSEU appears confident that Samsung will meet its strike condition eventually after the pressure of delayed production builds up. From the UAW strike against the Detroit Big three to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, we’ve seen many successful union-led movements recently, which may set the tone for how this strike proceeds.

Nothing is certain for now, and Samsung could play the long game in an attempt to wait out the strike.

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