The union representing thousands of Samsung Electronics workers called yesterday for the first strike in the history of the South Korean technology giant, which was founded 55 years ago.
The organization, which has about 28,000 members, which makes up more than a fifth of the company’s workforce, announced that it will hold a one-day protest on June 7th for higher wages and better working conditions, the BBC reports.
“We can no longer tolerate the persecution of the union. We are declaring a strike because of the company’s neglect of workers,” said a union representative during a press conference.
The management of Samsung Electronics has been in negotiations with the union about wages since the beginning of this year, but the two sides have so far failed to reach an agreement.
The union demanded a salary increase of 6.5 percent and a bonus related to the company’s earnings.
Samsung Electronics is the world’s largest manufacturer of memory chips, smartphones, and televisions.
Analysts warned that a major strike could affect the company’s computer chip production as well as global electronics supply chains.
Photo: Screenshot of the National Samsung Electronics Union YouTube
E.Dz.
