2024 Samsung Electronics strike

Samsung Electronics

Logo used since 1993
Company type	Public
Industry	Electronics
Founded	January 13, 1969 (1969-01-13)
Headquarters	Suwon , South Korea
Area served	Worldwide (74 nations)
Number of employees	270,000+ (2024)
Website	www.samsung.com

Samsung Electronics, a leading electronics manufacturer, operates assembly facilities and sales operations across 74 nations, employing over 270,000 individuals. On 7 June 2024, employees in South Korea initiated a one-day strike, which later extended from 8 July through 1 August. This marked the first strike led by workers within the Samsung Group. Additionally, since September 2024, workers in India have been striking to secure formal union recognition.

The Samsung Group has traditionally maintained a policy opposing unionization and has engaged in various union suppression tactics worldwide. These measures include establishing management-controlled unions, monitoring employees, and retaliating against those attempting to organize labor unions.

India

At the Sriperumbudur facility near Chennai, approximately 1,500 production employees have been participating in an ongoing strike since early September 2024. This plant is one of two smaller manufacturing sites in India, founded in 2007, with a workforce of about 1,800. The striking workers belong to the recently created Samsung India Labour Welfare Union, which receives backing from the leftist Centre of Indian Trade Unions. Their demands include official union recognition, exclusion of rival unions from acknowledgment, and the establishment of collective bargaining rights. During an unregistered protest march, 104 workers were temporarily detained for their involvement.

South Korea

Samsung Electronics has been unionized since 2021, with its affiliate Samsung Electronics Service having established union representation earlier in 2014.Template:Fact

Samsung Electronics Service

Samsung Electronics Service, a subsidiary under Samsung Electronics, operates through in-house subcontractor companies effectively controlled by Samsung. The Samsung Electronics Service Workers union was founded in July 2013. It is connected to the Korean Metal Workers' Union, which is part of the IndustriALL Global Union.

On 17 May 2014, Yeom Ho-seok, a union branch leader from Yangsan and employee at Samsung Electronics Service, tragically took his own life inside his vehicle. He was the second Samsung worker to commit suicide. He left behind a note:

I'm currently in Jeongdongjin. When my body is found, please do not bury me until our union chapter achieves victory. On that day, I wish to be cremated and have my ashes scattered here.

— Yeom Ho-seok, suicide note

Following Yeom’s death, on the same day, his father legally transferred custody of his body to the union in accordance with Yeom's last request. However, the following day, the father reversed this decision, leading to police forcibly removing Yeom's body from the hospital and detaining 20 union members. This marked the first time since 1991 that authorities seized a corpse in connection with a labor protest.

Initially, Samsung Electronics distanced itself from responsibility regarding its subcontractors. Nonetheless, after a series of strikes and the tragic suicides beginning in January 2014, a foundational collective agreement was reached between the union and company by June 2014.

Samsung Electronics

In August 2021, Samsung Electronics entered into a collective agreement with four distinct trade unions. This development followed the release of Samsung’s vice chairman Lee Jae-yong from prison, where he had been serving time for corruption charges including efforts to suppress union activities. A year earlier, in May 2020, Lee Jae-yong publicly apologized for Samsung’s history of union suppression.

As of August 2024, five trade unions are active within Samsung Electronics;

• Office Workers' Union
• Gumi Network Union
• National Samsung Electronics Union (Korean: 전국삼성전자노동조합; representing approximately 28,000 employees or about one-quarter of the workforce)
• Donghaeng Union
• DX (Device Experience) Union

On 7 June 2024, employees at Samsung Electronics conducted their first-ever strike within the Samsung Group. The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), which is the largest among the five unions, led this action.

Subsequently, on 8 July 2024, around 6,500 workers initiated a strike initially planned for three days but later extended indefinitely due to management's failure to respond. The strike concluded on 1 August amid institutional pressures and declining participation; however, the union declared its intention to persist with alternative methods to pursue its objectives.

The NSEU held representative bargaining rights for all five unions until 5 August 2024, coinciding with the expiration of their collective agreement. Following this expiration, other unions became eligible to apply for representative bargaining authority. The Donghaeng Union expressed intentions to challenge NSEU for this role. Son Woo-mok, serving as NSEU chair in August, announced plans for NSEU to merge with the Office Workers' Union on 5 October to strengthen their negotiating position.

After concluding the strike on 5 August, NSEU indicated a strategic shift toward "guerilla" style strike actions. These intermittent strikes recommenced during Korea’s Liberation Day anniversary from 15 through 18 August. Workers are demanding a wage increase of 5.6%, recognition of the union anniversary as a holiday, and compensation for wages lost during previous strikes. Meanwhile, management has proposed a wage increase of 5.1%.

See also

• Protests against Samsung
• Microsoft and unions
• Tech unions
• Template:Annotated link

External

• National Samsung Electronics Union (Official site in Korean)