Members of Samsung Electronics' labor unions stage a protest at the company's plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, July 8, 2024. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon
Unionized workers at Samsung Electronics are set to begin a vote later this week on whether to launch a strike, industry sources said Sunday, amid controversy after a union warned that employees who refuse to participate in the walkout could face disadvantages.
The company's three largest unions, which represent a combined estimated 89,000 of the tech giant's roughly 130,000 employees, will hold the vote from Monday through March 18 on whether to stage a general strike for 18 days from May 21 to June 7, they said.
Controversy has arisen after union leaders pressured members to participate by warning of penalties for those who do not join the strike.
Choi Seong-ho, chairman of the Samsung Electronics Labor Union, said during a YouTube broadcast that the union will keep a list of members who continue working during the strike and later prioritize them for measures such as forced transfers or dismissal that require consultation with the union.
Choi also said the union plans to operate a reporting center during the strike and offer rewards to members who report employees cooperating with the company.
It would mark the second walkout since the tech giant's founding. The first strike, led by the National Samsung Electronics Union, was launched in 2024, when workers demanded higher pay.
Source: Korea Times News
