Samsung’s unionised workers to vote on strike amid controversy over disadvantages

Seoul, March 9
Unionised workers at Samsung Electronics are set to begin a vote later this week on whether to launch a strike, industry sources said on 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, reports Yonhap news agency.

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 prioritise 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.

Meanwhile, President Lee Jae Myung will meet with senior officials from major conglomerates and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) this week to discuss ways to promote a co-prosperity business model, Cheong Wa Dae said.

Lee plans to host the meeting with business and government officials on Tuesday to encourage mutually beneficial cooperation between large companies and SMEs and to share best practices, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a press notice.

Senior executives from Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, SK Group, Hanwha Ocean and Naver as well as representatives from SMEs and experts will participate, alongside Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol, SME Minister Han Sung-sook and senior presidential aides, Kang said.