We stand with the National Samsung Workers Union!
The Chip-making industry should not Cheapen Collective Labour Power

The Centre for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR), Korean Domestic Workers Union (KDWU), Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (IMWU), Serikat Perempuan Indonesia (SERUNI), Federation of Korean Metalworkers’ Trade Unions (FKMTU) and the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) stand in solidarity with workers of Samsung Electronics in Hwaseong, South Korea, who have commenced a three-day and indefinite strike to advocate for better wages, additional annual leave for workers and revisions to the employee bonus system. The strike, organised by the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), involves approximately 6,540 workers in the Samsung chipmaker company, primarily at manufacturing sites and in product development. According to the FKMTU, the total number of workers at Samsung Electronics is about 124,400, of which 74% are male and 26% female. This collective labour power of the company’s South Korean workforce is leading the strike.

We stand with them in their struggle. The workers’ collective action follows a one-day strike that took place in June 2024 and is in response to workers’ allegations of mistreatment by the company. Through collective bargaining, the union has been in negotiations with Samsung companies since January 2024. The company’s offer of a 3.0% pay raise was different than what has been proposed by the union. In March 2024, the union outlined their demands, including improvements to annual leave and transparent performance-based bonuses that depicted the high wage inequality. Samsung has declined to comment on the situation. The union decided to strike.

The workers and the union disapproved of Samsung management’s proposals, which followed the company’s latest earnings forecast and showed a substantial profit increase. Samsung has released a statement outlining that the anticipated operating profit for the second quarter of the fiscal year (April to June) is approximately 10.4 trillion won ($7.54 billion). This figure reflects a substantial surge of about 1,452% from the 670 billion won recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year. The expected operating profit estimate of 8.51 trillion won. The union has pointed out disparities in bonus calculations between rank-and-file workers and executives and demanded increased pay and leave and equality in the bonus system.

We demand better working conditions for women workers at the Samsung chipmaker company. At the Giheung plant’s production line, 80% of the workers are women who mainly perform manual labour. The women workers are exposed to various workplace health and safety hazards, including hazardous chemicals, physical and biological agents (such as radiation and bacteria), and situations that pose risks to reproductive health. They face severe occupational health issues such as cancer, reproductive toxicity and incurable diseases. There have also been deaths due to carbon dioxide leaks. Unfortunately, they do not have appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to minimise exposure to these hazards. Additionally, the women are not allowed to take menstrual leave, annual leave and meal breaks.

Ironically, with Samsung’s profit gain, the giant chipmaking corporation does not comply with Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSH), according to the national labour law and international fundamental labour rights standards, while OSH sits as one of fundamental labour rights.

Samsung refuses to heed the workers’ demands because it believes it can profit without the workers through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This reflects how Samsung reaps profits without paying and protecting the workers, who created its wealth, what they deserve, and also how AI can be used to further corporate exploitation of workers Unsurprisingly, more and more semiconductor workers went on strike than the management had anticipated and have indicated readiness for further strikes if Samsung does not improve its proposals.

We stand with the workers, and even more so with the women workers in the semiconductor industry. We support the labour strike as we believe this will increase their collective bargaining power and influence against Samsung despite the management’s denial that production will not be disrupted. We urge other workers around the Asia Pacific and the rest of the world to express their solidarity with the National Samsung Electronics Union and other workers who fight labour injustices! Workers of the world unite!

In Solidarity,

1. The Centre for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR), the Philippines
2. Korean Domestic Workers Union (KDWU), South Korea
3. Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), the Philippines
4. Serikat Perempuan Indonesia (SERUNI)
5. Federation of Korean Metalworkers’ Trade Unions (FKMTU)
6. Women’s Centre, Sri Lanka
7. We Women Lanka, Sri Lanka
8. Stand Up Movement, Sri Lanka
9. National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF), Nepal
10. PROGRESS , Indonesia
11. Feminist League, Kazakhstan
12. Alga Association, Kyrgyzstan
13. Bir Duino, Kyrgyzstan
14. Beranda Perempuan, Indonesia
15. Dem Ololt, Mongolia
16. Zan Va Zamin, Tajikistan
17 WOREC, Nepal
18. Center for Women’s Resources, the Philippines
19. Home Net Pakistan, Pakistan
20. OTIFA, Tajikistan
21. Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO), Japan
22. Research Centre for Gender, Family and Environment in Development (CGFED), Vietnam
23. EILER, the Philippines
24. Marsinah.id, Indonesia
25. BINDU, Bangladesh
26. Karmojibi Nari, Bangladesh
27. Green Bangla Garments Workers Federation (GBGWF), Bangladesh
28. NAFSO, Sri Lanka
29 Serve the People Association, Taiwan
30. TransAsia Sisters Association of Taiwan, Taiwan
31. Family Frontiers, Malaysia
32.. Ko Taieun, South Korea (individual)
33. Gabungan Serikat Buruh Indonesia (GSBI), Indonesia
34. Southern Rider Association (SRA), Thailand
35. Ashila Dandeniya, Sri Lanka
35. Leitana Nehan Women’s Development Agency, Papua New Guinea
36. Center for sustainable community development (SCODE), Vietnam
37. GenDev Centre for Research and Innovation, India
38. Women Forum for Women in Nepal (WOFOWON), Nepal
39. Tarangini Foundation, Nepal
40. Chuchchepati (Behind Chuchchepati Fuel station and near to Animal Medical Center), Nepal
41. Federasi Serikat Buruh Persatuan Indonesia/Federation of Indonesian United Trade Unions (FSBPI), Indonesia
42. Cambodian Food and Service Workers Federation (CFSWF), Cambodia
43. Workers’ Union, Thailand
44. Saloni, India (individual)
45. Nonoy Librado Development Foundation, Inc., the Philippines
46 Maliwan Senawong, Thailand
47. Sanoat Nurmatova, Tajikistan
48. Kabar Bumi, Indonesia
49. Amira Subba, Nepal
50. Konfederasi Persatuan Buruh Indonesia/ Confederation of United Indonesian Workers (KPBI), Indonesia
51. National Alliance of Women Human Rights defenders (NAWHRD), Nepal
52 Otgontuya Dari, Mongolia
53. Voice of the Plantation people Organisation, Sri Lanka
54. Labor Scholar Research Network
55. Mec Electronics Workers Union, the Philippines
56. Korea Network of Organized Women in politics, South Korea
57. the Centre for Equality and Justice, Sri Lanka
58. AWAJ Foundation, Bangladesh
59. Vernie Yocogan-Diano, the Philippines
60. Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan, the Philippines
61. Korea Centre for United Nations Human Rights Policy (KOCUN), South Korea
62. Gravity Development Organization, Pakistan