93% of Samsung union members back strike, 90,000 workers plan action if talks stall

Labour tensions are escalating at Samsung Electronics after a sweeping majority of its unionised workforce voted in favour of a general strike, signalling one of the most significant labour confrontations in the company’s history.

According to union officials, more than 73% of members participated in the ballot, with an overwhelming 93% backing industrial action. The vote was coordinated by the Joint Struggle Headquarters, a coalition representing nearly 90,000 workers across multiple Samsung unions, amounting to over 70% of the company’s workforce in South Korea.

The planned action will begin with a mass rally on April 23. If negotiations remain stalled, workers are set to launch a full-scale strike from May 21 to June 7. Union leaders say the move is intended as a “strong warning” to management amid a prolonged deadlock over wages and performance-linked bonuses.

The unions have also pushed for a system that more directly links bonuses to operating profit, citing competitor practices.

Management, however, has taken a more cautious stance. Samsung has proposed a 6.2% wage increase alongside a revised bonus framework, allowing employees to choose between different profit-linked incentive models. 

Negotiations, which began in November, broke down in February. A subsequent attempt at mediation was halted earlier this month by a government arbitration body, leaving both sides at an impasse.

Union leaders have warned of the potential operational fallout. Choi Seung-ho, a senior union official, said semiconductor output could drop to nearly half of normal levels if the strike proceeds, raising concerns about disruptions across global supply chains already under pressure from surging demand tied to artificial intelligence and data centre expansion.

The stakes are particularly high given Samsung’s central role in global chip production. The company manufactures all of its DRAM chips and a significant portion of its NAND output in South Korea, making any prolonged disruption a potential flashpoint for industries ranging from automotive to consumer electronics.

If carried out, the strike would mark only the second in Samsung’s history since its founding in 1969, following a 25-day walkout in July 2024. It also reflects a broader shift in labour dynamics within South Korea’s tech sector, where rising competition has intensified scrutiny over pay structures and employee benefits.

Despite the mounting pressure, Samsung has maintained that it will continue efforts to reach an amicable resolution. But with timelines set and positions hardening, the coming weeks could prove, not just for the company’s workforce, but for the stability of the global semiconductor supply chain.