Samsung Workers Go on Strike for Better Pay Amid AI Chip Market Competition

Highlights

• Samsung workers stage historic strike for better pay.
• Organized by the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU).
• Strike involves more corporate staff than factory workers.
• Walkout pressures Samsung amid AI chip market challenges.

Samsung workers are getting bolder.

In a historic first, employees at the tech giant’s electronics arm went on strike Friday, demanding better pay.

It’s a sign of growing assertiveness from the workforce as Samsung tries to keep up in the competitive AI chip market.

The one-day walkout was organized by the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), which represents around 28,000 members – over a fifth of Samsung’s employees.

Their aim? To pressure management into meaningful negotiations over compensation.

Union Strike Underway at Samsung

“We’re preparing for further action if needed,” said NSEU official Lee Hyun-kuk, though he didn’t provide details.

The union, Samsung’s largest with five total, wants improved performance bonuses and an extra paid day off, among other asks.

Samsung tried to downplay the impact, noting the strike fell after a holiday when fewer people take leave anyway.

“There’s been no disruption to production or operations,” a company rep maintained.

But the reality is this labor action adds pressure as Samsung doubles down on AI efforts to catch up to chipmaking rivals like Taiwan’s TSMC.

Analysts say the walkout likely won’t immediately affect semiconductor output or shipments since manufacturing is highly automated these days.

But it does seem to have involved more corporate staff than factory workers, with protests taking place at Samsung’s Seoul HQ and a chip plant south of the capital.

Samsung Not Raising Wages

The strike follows a wave of demonstrations after Samsung announced just a 5.1% pay raise this year, disappointing the NSEU.

Other smaller Samsung unions advised against confrontation, urging negotiation instead.

But with recent struggles in cutting-edge chips prompting a semiconductor leadership shakeup, employee demands for a bigger slice of Samsung’s profits are growing louder.

Interestingly, even as the chip division faces a “crisis,” Samsung overtook Apple as the world’s top smartphone vendor in Q1 2023 with a 20% market share.

Whether heavyweight status in mobiles translates to the negotiating table with energized workers remains to be seen.

FAQs

Why did Samsung workers go on strike?

Samsung workers went on strike to demand better pay, improved performance bonuses, and an extra paid day off, organized by the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU).

How many employees are part of the National Samsung Electronics Union?

The NSEU represents around 28,000 members, which is over a fifth of Samsung’s total workforce.

What impact did the strike have on Samsung’s operations?

Samsung stated that there was no disruption to production or operations, as the strike took place after a holiday when fewer people take leave anyway.

Will the strike affect Samsung’s semiconductor output?

Analysts believe the strike won’t immediately affect semiconductor output or shipments due to the high level of automation in manufacturing.

What are the broader implications of the strike for Samsung?

The strike adds pressure on Samsung as it tries to compete in the AI chip market, highlighting growing assertiveness among employees and their demands for a larger share of the company’s profits.

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