Samsung Electronics Union's First Collective Industrial Accident Claim: "Need for Improved Working Conditions"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The Samsung Electronics labor union has filed a collective industrial accident claim. This is the first time the Samsung Electronics union has applied for industrial accident compensation as a group.

The National Samsung Electronics Labor Union, affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the largest union within Samsung Electronics, visited the Gwangsan branch of the Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service in Gwangju on the morning of the 7th to apply for industrial accident compensation for seven union members belonging to the Samsung Electronics Gwangju plant. The application for industrial accident compensation was handled by the labor law firm "Saramgwa Sanjae," which has a business agreement with the union.

According to the union, these employees work on the air conditioner and washing machine production lines, refrigerator production line, and compressor line, and have developed musculoskeletal disorders in the neck, shoulders, waist, and wrists due to repetitive heavy lifting and assembly work.

Lee Won-il, head of the Gwangju branch, stated, "The company must recognize the seriousness of the issue and identify and improve the work environment where musculoskeletal disorders can occur," adding, "This is only the first collective industrial accident claim, and regardless of the results from the Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, we will continue with second and third applications in the future." The union claimed that there are many heavy lifting tasks not identified due to the lack of basis in the standard work manual, and that after the introduction of automated equipment, the workload of some on-site employees has increased, causing overwork.

Previously, the Samsung Electronics Gwangju plant was suspected of concealing industrial accident occurrences from supervisory authorities last year. At that time, Samsung Electronics denied the related allegations, but a field investigation by the Gwangju Regional Employment and Labor Office confirmed about 40 cases of violation of the obligation to report industrial accidents at the Gwangju plant since 2015, resulting in a total fine of 377.9 million KRW last year.