The electronics manufacturer Samsung Electronics has assembly plants and sales networks in 74 countries and employs more than 270,000 workers.[1] Samsung employees in South Korea went on a one-day strike on 7 June 2024. The strike was extended from 8 July to 1 August. It was the first employee strike of the Samsung Group.
Samsung Group historically has a no-union policy and has been engaged in union-busting activities around the world, including setting up management unions, surveilling workers and retaliating against workers who try to unionize.[2] [3]
Samsung Electronics and Samsung Electronics Service have been unionized since 2014 and 2021 respectively.
Samsung Electronics Service is a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics and relies on in-house subcontractor firms that are de facto owned by Samsung. In July 2013, the Samsung Electronics Service Workers was created. It is affiliated to the Korean Metal Workers' Union which is part of IndustriALL Global Union.[4]
Yeom Ho-seok, a worker and Yangsan union branch leader committed suicide in his car on 17 May 2014; the second Samsung worker to do so. He left a note:[5] [6]
On 17 May, Yeom's father transferred legal custody of Yeom's body to the union, per his son's dying wish. The next day, the father changed his mind and police snatched Yeom's corpse from the hospital, arresting 20 union members in the process. The last time a corpse was taken by police was in 1991 after a similar worker suicide protest.
Initially, Samsung Electronics claimed no responsibility for its subcontractors, but after series of strikes including suicide starting in January 2014, the union reached a basic collective agreement in June 2014.
In August 2021, Samsung Electronics signed a collective agreement with 4 different trade unions. This happened after Samsung vice chairman Lee Jae-yong was released from prison for corruption including union busting.[7] A year prior in May 2020, Lee Jae-yong apologized for Samsung's union-busting.[8]
There are 5 trade unions active at Samsung Electronics[9]
Samsung Electronics employees went on a one-day strike on 7 June 2024. It was the first time employees in the Samsung Group went on strike. The strike led by the National Samsung Electronics Union and is the largest of 5 trade unions at Samsung.[10] [11] NSEU had representative bargaining rights on behalf of all 5 unions until 5 August 2024.[12]
6,500 workers went on a strike on 8 July 2024, which was initially planned to be for three days but was converted into an indefinite strike due to lack of response from management.[13] The strike ended on 1 August, under institutional pressure and falling numbers, though the union said it intended to continue fighting for its demands with other tactics.[14]
The collective agreement expires on 5 August 2024, which means other trade unions could also apply to bargain on behalf of employees. Donghaeng Union indicated they will compete with NSEU. Son Woo-mok, the chair of NSEU announced they will merge into Office Workers' Union on 5 October to consolidate their strength.