Reading an Appeal as Interest Wanes
Promotion and Text Reminders Announcing Schedule
General Strike Scheduled for 8-10 Days... Aim Is 'Production Disruption'
The National Samsung Electronics Labor Union (Jeonsamno), which declared the first-ever general strike since Samsung Electronics was founded, is continuously urging its members to participate.
Employees are walking at the Samsung Electronics Seocho Building in Seocho-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 3rd, Jeonsamno announced via a YouTube live broadcast that 1,932 members had participated in the 'General Strike Participation Survey' that began the previous day, as of 2:20 PM that day. This accounts for less than 7% of the total membership (28,500 members).
As interest in the general strike waned, the union read a plea stating, "If more than 5,000 members gather, we will surely win." Separately, the union is also promoting the strike schedule through workplace promotions and text message encouragement.
Jeonsamno has announced a three-day strike scheduled from the 8th to the 10th, defining the strike's purpose as 'disruption of production.' The union plans to continue the strike for an additional five days starting from the 15th if labor-management negotiations do not progress constructively during this period. However, if actual strike participation rates remain low, the production disruption the union aims for is expected not to occur.
Previously, the union encouraged all members to use their annual leave on the 7th as part of a leave protest following the strike declaration. Neither labor nor management disclosed the number of members who participated in using their annual leave, but it is reported that the participation rate was not very high. Industry insiders speculate that the planned general strike may see a similar pattern repeated.
The union's demands related to the general strike include applying a high wage increase rate to all members, fulfilling promises of paid leave, improving the criteria for the Excess Profit Incentive (OPI) paid based on Economic Value Added (EVA), and compensation for wage losses incurred due to the strike. When the general strike was declared, the union initially announced demands applying a high wage increase rate only to a minority of members but reversed this after receiving criticism both internally and externally.
Earlier, Jeonsamno secured the right to strike after starting negotiations with management in January, undergoing a decision to suspend mediation by the Central Labor Relations Commission (CLRC) in March, and conducting a member vote. The union declared a strike on May 29, followed by a leave protest, and then declared a general strike on the 1st.
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