Hundreds of Samsung staff launch indefinite strike over pay

Unionized staff at Samsung Electronics in South Korea have indefinitely prolonged the first-ever strike on the firm in a push for higher pay and advantages. The Nationwide Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) rallied its over 30,000 members on Wednesday after the corporate’s management confirmed no indication of holding talks with the union following a three-day walkout.

As reported by Reuters, the NSEU is demanding a 3.5 % improve in base wage, an additional time off to mark the union’s basis day, and a fairer bonus system between executives and lower-ranking staff. Samsung, the world’s largest maker of reminiscence chips, introduced an estimated 15x improve in working income for its newest quarter, following a spike in semiconductor costs pushed by the continued AI increase.

The NSEU mentioned its goal is to halt Samsung’s chip manufacturing, telling Reuters the strike had already slowed manufacturing on sure chip traces. Samsung refutes this, nevertheless, saying the three-day walkout hadn’t impacted chip manufacturing. “Samsung Electronics will guarantee no disruptions happen within the manufacturing traces,” the corporate mentioned in an announcement to Reuters, including that it “stays dedicated to partaking in good religion negotiations with the union.”

Union officers mentioned that 6,500 staff had participated within the preliminary three-day strike that started on Monday, and inspired its remaining members — who make up virtually 1 / 4 of Samsung Electronics South Korean workforce — to affix the walkout. “It’s time that we want energy and assist from our fellow members,” NSEU vice chairman Son Woo-mok mentioned in a YouTube reside broadcast. “All members who participated within the first strike [should] proceed to strike.”

The walkout follows a main hunch in Samsung’s income in 2023, attributed to weakened demand for reminiscence chips. Something that would jeopardize the corporate’s latest rebound offers it sufficient trigger for concern, however given Samsung is accountable for round 20 % of South Korea’s total GDP, the complete nation might probably really feel its influence.