The voices of labor unions within Samsung Group are growing louder. This is because not only are affiliate unions demanding the same wage increase through solidarity but the launch of a unified union, beyond affiliate unions, is on the horizon.
On Feb. 6, the Samsung Group Trade Union Solidarity, a federation of 11 unions from Samsung’s affiliates, held a press conference in front of Samsung Electronics’ Seocho Headquarters in the Gangnam district of Seoul and demanded a 5.4 percent wage increase from management in 2024.
On the same day, the Samsung Group Trade Union Solidarity released joint demands for improving working conditions and labor relations in 2024, requesting that in addition to a 5.4 percent common pay raise, performance-based bonuses be paid to reflect the performance of each affiliate’s business performances. The basis for the common pay increase is last year’s inflation rate of 3.6 percent plus a 1.8 percent increase in labor productivity by industry in 2023.
In addition, the Samsung Group Trade Union Solidarity also proposed a seven-point demand to improve working conditions that includes improving the wage peak system, extending the retirement age, guaranteeing five-day leaves of refreshment, and paying vacation expenses. They also asked for a two-point demand to improve labor relations, including direct negotiations with Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong and the attendance of the CEO during negotiations.
The official launch of the unified labor union that goes beyond the affiliate labor unions is getting closer. On Jan. 31, the Unified Samsung Group Labor Union, which brings together unions of four of the group’s affiliates, held a general meeting for its members. The four unions included the Samsung Electronics DX Union, the Samsung Fire Ribbon Union, the Samsung Display Open Union, and the Samsung Biologics Win-Win Union.
Each of the unions had gone through a process of gleaning opinions since the end of last year, including voting for and against the establishment of a super-enterprise union, and all four received around 90 percent support. The unified union is expected to be officially launched and begin their activities by the end of February.
The so-called unified union is expected to change the status of unions within Samsung Group. The four unions will have a combined membership of about 13,000, more than the 10,000 members of the Korea Electronics Workers’ Union, the largest of the existing Samsung affiliate unions.