The Samsung Electronics union has intensified pressure ahead of a planned general strike by notifying authorities it will hold a rally outside Chairman Lee Jae-yong’s residence.
On April 24, the Samsung Electronics cross-company union informed the Yongsan Police Station that it plans to hold a rally near Lee’s home in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, at about 1 p.m. on the 21st of next month. That date coincides with the union’s announced start date for the general strike.
The filing listed roughly 50 attendees. A union official said the event is likely to take the form of a press conference to formally announce the strike plans rather than a typical protest.
Earlier, on the 17th, the union staged a press conference in front of Samsung’s Seocho office building in Seoul, saying it had secured majority-union status and demanding direct talks with management.
At that press conference the union said, “You promised to end no-union management, but nothing has changed. Management clearly bears responsibility for the breakdown in labor relations. We call on the chairman to come out and speak candidly.”
About 40,000 people attended a rally at the company’s Pyeongtaek plant in Gyeonggi Province on the 23rd. That is roughly one-third of Samsung Electronics’ approximately 120,000 employees and marks the largest turnout in the company’s history.
The union’s core demands include a performance payout equal to 15% of operating profit and the elimination of the bonus cap. The union points to Samsung’s annual semiconductor operating profit forecast of 270 trillion KRW (about $202.5 billion) and says 15% of that—40.5 trillion KRW (about $30.4 billion)—should be distributed as performance bonuses.
Union Chair Choi Seung-ho said he stood “to change Samsung’s flawed systems and reshape the future of science and engineering in South Korea.” He added that the union aims to ensure that future leaders receive proper recognition, revive the “talent-first” principle through fair, performance-based compensation, and continue the fight until their legitimate demands are met.
The union plans an 18-day general strike from May 21 through June 7. It has also begun implementing a payroll check-off system to deduct union dues directly from members’ paychecks in preparation for the strike.
