Unionized workers at Samsung Electronics set to stage 3-day strike

Unionized workers of Samsung Electronics Co. are set to launch a three-day strike Monday, but the planned labor action is unlikely to disrupt production at the technology giant due to low participation. The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), the biggest labor union with 29,000 members, will kick off the strike with a rally at the entrance of the company's facility in Hwaseong, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, according to industry sources. The strike is scheduled to last through Wednesday. The NSEU said some 8,000 participated in its previous survey for the planned strike, and more than 5,000 of them will likely join the collective action. Since January, the two sides have held several rounds of talks but have been unable to narrow their differences over the wage increase rate, vacation system and bonuses. The union has demanded a one-day vacation for all employees and a significant salary raise for the 855 members who did not sign the 2024 salary negotiation agreement. The union also demanded the company offer more paid leave and provide compensation for economic losses incurred during unpaid strikes. The NSEU claimed the company has refused to accept any of its demands in the two-week adjustment period that began June 13, holding the company solely responsible for any business losses incurred by the strike. The union also warned that it would stage another five-day strike, starting July 15, if no progress is made during this week's strike. Insiders, however, believe the strike is unlikely to disrupt production at the world's largest memory chipmaker, citing the previous one-day collective action on June 7, which had minimal impact. The NSEU's members account for approximately 24 percent of Samsung Electronics' total workforce of about 125,000. Source: Yonhap News Agency