Samsung Union Launches Indefinite Strike — Update
By Kwanwoo Jun
Samsung Electronics unionized workers have decided to launch an indefinite strike in South Korea, pressing harder for their demands around wages and work conditions.
The National Samsung Electronics Union's decision came on Wednesday, the final day of a three-day walkout that it said failed to bring management back to the negotiating table.
The 30,000-member union, which accounts for nearly a quarter of the company's workforce, said that about 6,500 workers have been on strike across the country since Monday.
Samsung, the world's largest maker of memory chips and smartphones, has reported no immediate disruptions to production.
"Samsung Electronics will ensure no disruptions occur in the production lines," it said in a statement. "The company remains committed to engaging in good faith negotiations with the union."
The union, however, said in a statement Wednesday that management's unwillingness to talk to union leaders has led to an "indefinite general strike" and that prolonged industrial action would make "management eventually come to the negotiating table," as assembly lines are being affected by the strike. Union members were urged not to return to work until the union reversed its decision.
Samsung's management and union leaders have been in on-again, off-again wage negotiations since January but have failed to reach an agreement.
Among union demands were an extra one day of leave to mark the union's foundation day, an average 3.5% wage increase for all union members and a change to what the union says is an unfair bonus pay system.
Samsung's stock slipped after the union's move on Wednesday. Shares were 0.3% lower in afternoon trading, losing ground after four consecutive sessions of gains.
Write to Kwanwoo Jun at kwanwoo.jun@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 10, 2024 01:48 ET (05:48 GMT)
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