SEOUL, July 8 (AJU PRESS) - The largest labor union at Samsung Electronics began a three-day strike on Monday, demanding higher pay and improved bonus systems.
The walkout is led by the National Samsung Electronics Labor Union (NSELU), which represents about 24 percent of Samsung's 125,000 employees.
About 5,000 members are expected to join the walkout, the group said, citing a survey of over 8,000 members.
The union launched the strike with a rally at 11 a.m. in front of the company’s plant in Hwaseong, south of Seoul.
The union's demands include higher wage increases for all members, fulfillment of paid leave promises, improvements to the excess profit sharing (OPI) system and compensation for wage losses due to the strike.
The union said they will stage a second, five-day strike starting next Monday if their demands are not met.
The nearly 30,000-strong NSELU declared the strike last Monday following failed negotiations with management. The two sides have engaged in wage negotiations since January.
While NSELU aims to disrupt production, industry observers believe major setbacks are unlikely.
This strike follows the union's collective leave on June 7, the first-ever industrial action in the tech giant’s 55-year history, which did not cause significant production disruptions.
