Samsung Electronics Union's First Collective Action at Hwaseong Plant

Union Estimates 2,000 Participants in Event

For the first time since its founding, Samsung Electronics' labor union took collective action on the 17th.

The National Samsung Electronics Labor Union (Jeonsamno) holding an event in front of the Samsung Electronics Hwaseong Plant Component Research Building (DSR) on the 17th /
[Photo source=Captured from Jeonsamno YouTube account]

The largest Samsung Electronics union, the National Samsung Electronics Labor Union (Jeonsamno), held a cultural event in front of the Samsung Electronics Hwaseong Plant's Component Research Building (DSR) in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province on that day.

At the event, which Jeonsamno estimated was attended by about 2,000 members, union member speeches and performances took place. Jeonsamno urged the management to show a progressive attitude toward dialogue with the union, criticizing the company for unilaterally deciding wages through the labor-management council.

Earlier, the management and Jeonsamno had negotiations since January but showed differences in positions regarding wage increase rates. As a result, negotiations broke down on the 18th of last month. Afterwards, the Central Labor Relations Commission intervened as a mediator, but due to significant differences between labor and management, it decided to suspend mediation.

The management conducted separate wage adjustment negotiations through the labor-management council, which includes employer and employee representatives, and set this year's average wage increase rate at 5.1%.

Since its establishment in 1969, Samsung Electronics had never experienced a strike. Although the union secured the right to strike through adjustment requests after wage negotiations broke down in 2022 and last year, it did not lead to a strike.