Samsung Workers' Union to Strike Over Wage Dispute

Samsung Electronics' largest workers' union in South Korea will initiate a four-day strike starting Thursday over wage and bonus disputes. The union, representing 36,500 members, aims to pressure the company after talks failed in July. Samsung plans to prevent production disruptions while continuing negotiations.

Samsung Electronics' largest workers' union in South Korea announced it would launch a four-day strike beginning Thursday. The move aims to pressure the company for higher wages and bonuses following unsuccessful negotiations in July.

Lee Hyun-kuk, vice president of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), stated in a live YouTube broadcast, "This strike is strategically designed to damage the company." The union, which represents about 30% of Samsung Electronics' South Korean workforce, believes the company will struggle to maintain production levels as many workers will be absent due to a national holiday on Thursday.

In response, Samsung Electronics asserted it would ensure no production disruptions and adhere to no-work, no-pay principles while striving to resume talks with the union. Despite an indefinite strike declared in July, the union had temporarily returned to work in early August after negotiations faltered. Samsung noted that the July strike did not impact production.