Thousands of unionized workers at Samsung Electronics in South Korea returned to work on August 5 after their strike failed to win concessions from the global tech giant. This marked the first unionized action in Samsung’s decades-long history as one of the world’s leading computer chip manufacturers.
The strike, which involved approximately 6,500 workers, represented a small fraction of the union membership and an even smaller portion of Samsung’s total workforce. Most of the strikers had resumed their duties by Monday, according to Lee Hyun Kuk, vice president of the Nationwide Samsung Electronics Union.
For months, the union and Samsung have been at an impasse over wages, bonuses, and vacation days. In June, the union staged a single-day strike as a warning before initiating an indefinite walkout in July. Throughout the strike, Samsung maintained that its operations would remain unaffected, a stance reiterated last week.
The financial strain of the prolonged, unpaid strike led union leaders to call for a return to work. “Twenty-five days into the strike, and we have nothing in our hands yet,” said Son Woo-mok, the union president, during a statement to members on Thursday. “I feel responsibility as the union leader that we haven’t brought about any results to the union members who have been participating in the strike while going without pay.”
Despite the setback, the union, which has over 31,000 members, plans to continue their efforts through guerrilla strikes or blitz walkouts, though the frequency and number of these actions have not been disclosed. “This is not a loss, but a change of tactics,” Son stated.
Last week, union leaders held a news conference outside Samsung Chair Lee Jae-yong’s residence in Seoul, urging him to take action. However, Lee was in Paris, meeting with other business leaders during the Olympics.
In the midst of the strike, Samsung launched its latest lineup of electronic devices, including the Galaxy Fold 6 phone and new smartwatches, as scheduled. The company’s electronics division employs about 260,000 people worldwide.
Featured Image courtesy of The Japan Times
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