A union representing thousands of workers at Samsung Electronics has called for the first strike in the company’s 54-year history.
The National Samsung Electronics Union plans a one-day protest in South Korea on June 7, urging all members to use their paid leave.
The union has not ruled out a full-scale strike in the future.
With around 28,000 members, the union represents over a fifth of Samsung’s workforce.
The union declared the strike in response to what it describes as the company’s neglect of labor rights.
A union representative said: “We can’t stand persecution against labor unions anymore.
“We are declaring a strike in the face of the company’s neglect of laborers.”
The company has been negotiating with the union regarding wages since the beginning of the year, but no agreement has been reached.
The union demands a 6.5 percent pay raise and a bonus tied to the company’s earnings.
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Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest manufacturer of memory chips, smartphones, and televisions, has indicated that it will continue negotiations with the union.
Analysts warn that a full-scale strike could disrupt the company’s chip production and impact global electronics supply chains.
Samsung Electronics is the flagship unit of the Samsung Group, South Korea’s largest conglomerate, which has historically resisted unionization.
However, in 2020, the company allowed unions following public scrutiny and legal issues involving its chairman, who was prosecuted for market manipulation and bribery.
Following the strike announcement, Samsung Electronics’ shares traded approximately two percent lower in Seoul.
