Unionised workers at Samsung to stage 3-day strike next week

Unionised workers at Samsung to stage 3-day strike next week Seoul, July 2 (IANS) Unionised workers of Samsung Electronics will stage a three-day general strike next week as their negotiations with the management over wages and working conditions fell through. The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), the biggest labour union with 28,000 members, declared the strike will start next Monday for three days. The number accounts for approximately 22 per cent of Samsung Electronics' total workforce of about 125,000, reports Yonhap news agency. The actual number of union workers participating in the strike remains uncertain, and the likelihood of major production disruptions could be low. "We will fight with a full strike, without pay and without work, until our demands are met," said Son Woo-mok, president of the NSEU. Since January, the two sides have held several rounds of talks, but have been unable to narrow their differences over the wage increase rate, vacation system and bonuses. The union has demanded a one-day vacation for all employees and a significant salary raise for the 855 members who did not sign the 2024 salary negotiation agreement. Also, the union demanded the company offer more paid leave and compensate for economic losses incurred during unpaid strikes. In June, unionised workers at Samsung Electronics went on a one-day strike, marking the first labor walkout at the company. --IANS na/