Samsung and unions

The electronics manufacturer Samsung Electronics has assembly plants and sales networks in 74 countries and employs more than 270,000 workers.[1] Samsung employees in South Korea went on a one-day strike on 7 June 2024. The strike was extended from 8 July to 1 August. It was the first employee led strike in the Samsung Group. Workers in India went on strike since September 2024 for union recognition.

Samsung Group historically has a no-union policy and has been engaged in union-busting activities around the world, including setting up management unions, surveilling workers and retaliating against workers who try to unionize.[2][3]

India

1,500 production workers in Sriperumbudur plant near Chennai of Samsung Electronics have been on indefinite strike since 8 September 2024.[4] It is one of two smaller plants in India, established in 2007, employing 1,800 workers.[5] The strikers are part of a newly formed union Samsung India Labour Welfare Union, supported by the left wing Centre of Indian Trade Unions. The strike demands are union recognition, avoid recognizing competing unions and collective bargaining rights. 104 workers were briefly arrested for taking part in an unregistered protest march.[4]

South Korea

Samsung Electronics has been unionized since 2021, and its subsidiary Samsung Electronics Service since 2014.

Samsung Electronics Service

Samsung Electronics Service is a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics and relies on in-house subcontractor firms that are de facto owned by Samsung. In July 2013, the Samsung Electronics Service Workers was created. It is affiliated to the Korean Metal Workers' Union which is part of IndustriALL Global Union.[6]: 6–7 

Yeom Ho-seok, a worker and Yangsan union branch leader committed suicide in his car on 17 May 2014; the second Samsung worker to do so. He left a note:[7][8]

I'm in Jeongdongjin now. When you find my body, please don't bury me until the day our chapter achieves victory. On the day of our chapter's victory, I want you to cremate me and sprinkle my ashes here.

— Yeom Ho-seok, suicide note

On 17 May, Yeom's father transferred legal custody of Yeom's body to the union, per his son's dying wish. The next day, the father changed his mind and police snatched Yeom's corpse from the hospital, arresting 20 union members in the process. The last time a corpse was taken by police was in 1991 after a similar worker suicide protest.[7]

Initially, Samsung Electronics claimed no responsibility for its subcontractors, but after series of strikes including suicide starting in January 2014, the union reached a basic collective agreement in June 2014.[6]: 8 

Samsung Electronics

In August 2021, Samsung Electronics signed a collective agreement with 4 different trade unions. This happened after Samsung vice chairman Lee Jae-yong was released from prison for corruption including union busting.[9] A year prior in May 2020, Lee Jae-yong apologized for Samsung's union-busting.[10]

There are 5 trade unions active at Samsung Electronics as of August 2024;[11]

  • Office Workers' Union
  • Gumi Network Union
  • National Samsung Electronics Union (Korean: 전국삼성전자노동조합; represents 28,000 workers or a quarter of total workforce)[12]
  • Donghaeng Union
  • DX (Device Experience) Union

Samsung Electronics employees went on a one-day strike on 7 June 2024. It was the first time employees in the Samsung Group went on strike. The strike was led by the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) and is the largest of 5 trade unions at Samsung.[12][13]

6,500 workers went on a strike on 8 July 2024, which was initially planned to be for three days but was converted into an indefinite strike due to lack of response from management.[14] The strike ended on 1 August, under institutional pressure and falling numbers, though the union said it intended to continue fighting for its demands with other tactics.[15]

NSEU had representative bargaining rights on behalf of all 5 unions until 5 August 2024,[16] when the collective agreement expires. Other trade unions would be eligible to petition for representative bargaining rights on behalf of all trade unions. Donghaeng Union indicated they will compete with NSEU for this right. Son Woo-mok, the chair of NSEU in August, announced they will merge into Office Workers' Union on 5 October in order to consolidate their strength.[11]

After ending the strike on 5 August, NSEU announced it will shift strategies to "guerilla" strikes.[17] The staggered strikes returned on the anniversary of Liberation Day, 15 August through 18 August. The workers are demanding a 5.6% wage increase, holiday on union anniversary and compensation for lost wages during the strikes, while management is offering a 5.1% increase.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Fast Facts: Samsung Global Newsroom". Samsung Electronics. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  2. ^ "[Special report- Part V] Samsung has come under fire worldwide for its union-busting tactics". The Hankyoreh. 26 June 2019. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Samsung VP gets jail term for attempting to break up labor union". Yonhap News Agency. 13 December 2019. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019.
  4. ^ a b Mollan, Cherylann (19 September 2024). "Tamil Nadu: Why hundreds of Samsung workers are protesting in India". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  5. ^ Paramasivam, Praveen (10 September 2024). "Indian strike hits Samsung production at key electronics plant". Reuters.
  6. ^ a b Yun, Aelim (August 2017). "Rebuilding Workers' Power Beyond Corporate Boundaries in South Korea" (PDF). Friedrich Ebert Foundation. pp. 1–14.
  7. ^ a b Hwang, Ye-rang (30 May 2014). "[Reportage] A worker's body is stolen". The Hankyoreh English Edition. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  8. ^ Se-Woong, Koo (2014-07-08). "South Korea: Striking Samsung workers prevail despite climate of repression". Equal Times. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
  9. ^ Kim, Bo-eun (2021-08-12). "Samsung signs collective agreement with unions ahead of leader's release". Korea Times. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  10. ^ Sang-hun, Choe (6 May 2020). "Samsung Heir Apologizes for Corruption and Union-Busting Scandals". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 May 2020.
  11. ^ a b Eun-jin, Kim (2024-08-01). "Samsung Electronics Union Calls Off Strike amid Looming Expiry of Bargaining Rights". Business Korea. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
  12. ^ a b Young, Jin Yu; Tobin, Meaghan (2024-06-06). "Samsung Workers Strike, the First in the Company's History". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  13. ^ Seo, Yoonjung Seo; Madhok, Diksha (2024-06-07). "Workers at Samsung Electronics go on strike for the first time ever". CNN. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  14. ^ Young, Jin Yu; Liu, John (2024-07-10). "Samsung Union Workers Launch Indefinite Strike". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  15. ^ Ji-Han, Yoo; Jae-eun, Lee (2024-08-02). "Samsung Electronics union ends 25-day strike, shifts to new tactics". The Chosun Daily. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  16. ^ Eun-jin, Kim (2024-08-01). "Samsung Electronics Faces Ongoing Strike as Wage Negotiations Fail". Business Korea. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
  17. ^ Young, Jin Yu (2024-08-05). "Samsung Employees Return to Work After Strike Fails to Win Concessions". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
  18. ^ Yi, Wonju (2024-08-13). "Unionized workers at Samsung Electronics to launch 4-day strike". Yonhap.

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