Samsung Electronics Union Resolves to Continue Unpaid, No-Work General Strike Until Demands Are Met (Update)

Declaration to Proceed with Strike After Failure of 3rd Negotiation
Demanding 1 Day Off for All Employees and Compensation for 855 Non-Signers of Salary Negotiation
Announcement of General Strike Resolution via YouTube Live Broadcast

The National Samsung Electronics Labor Union (Jeonsamno) announced on the 1st that it will proceed with a no-work, no-pay strike following the failure of the third round of negotiations with Samsung Electronics under the mediation of the Central Labor Relations Commission.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On that day, Jeonsamno met face-to-face for the first time with Jeon Young-hyun, Vice Chairman and head of the Device Solutions (DS) division, the leader of the semiconductor business, at the Hwaseong plant in Gyeonggi Province. Prior to the meeting with Vice Chairman Jeon, Jeonsamno also attempted to engage in talks with the company’s representatives but failed to reach an agreement. The union’s main demands included one day off for all employees and compensation for 855 employees who did not sign the annual salary negotiation agreement.

Jeonsamno is the largest of the five unions within Samsung Electronics. It was formed mainly by employees of the DS division. Recently, due to the semiconductor market downturn and poor performance, Samsung Electronics’ DS division set the payout rate for last year’s Over-Performance Incentive (OPI) at 0%.

Jeonsamno and the company failed to find common ground even during three post-mediation meetings held by the Central Labor Relations Commission.

Jeonsamno resolved to carry out a total no-pay, no-work strike until the union’s demands are met, broadcasting the decision live on YouTube. The union emphasized that the company’s proposal angered union members, delegates, and the executive committee alike, and that peaceful dispute actions are no longer meaningful.