On May 26th, according to South Korean media reports, over 2,000 Samsung employees held a large-scale protest in Seoul, demanding wage increases. The Samsung Electronics National Labor Union rallied with slogans such as “We demand an end to the suppression of unions, not 200% bonus measures.” Participants carried banners reading “Stop suppressing unions” and “Respect unions.”
At the start of the gathering, union members held banners saying “Respect labor” and “Stop suppressing unions,” chanting slogans under the leadership’s direction. It’s estimated that over 2,200 union members attended the protest.
Subsequently, union president Sun Yu-mook said in a major speech, “We’ve gathered the will of 30,000 union members to hold our first rally in front of the Suwon headquarters, and we must express our protest to Vice Chairman Yoon Boo-keun, who holds actual power in Samsung.” He added, “The efforts of employees have not been rewarded.”
Sun claimed that management had also halted discussions on employee vacations. “The company should keep its promises and improve vacations,” he said. “We demand dialogue with the vice chairman.”
Samsung Electronics had pledged in 2020 to end practices hindering organized labor development, leading to a rapid increase in union membership. Chairman Lee Jae-yong had publicly apologized for scandals involving anti-union strategies and announced the abandonment of the “no union” concept.
Despite Samsung Electronics’ decision to raise wages by 5.1% this year, union members still seek an additional day of annual leave and the implementation of a more transparent performance-based bonus system.
Negotiations between the union and the company resumed on May 21st, with the main talks scheduled for May 28th. Samsung Electronics stated in a declaration that it would engage in sincere discussions with the union.
Union officials pointed out that younger employees are increasingly recognizing the role of unions in creating a fairer workplace, while some older-generation employees are concerned that unions might affect work efficiency.
Disclaimer: This article is created by the original author. The content of the article represents their personal opinions. Our reposting is for sharing and discussion purposes only and does not imply our endorsement or agreement. If you have any objections, please contact us through the provided channels.
