Samsung Electronics DX-division union members confronted Union Chairman Choi Seung-ho over a performance-bonus plan that prioritizes the semiconductor division [1, 2].
The dispute highlights a growing rift within the company's labor organization, as non-semiconductor workers argue that their contributions to overall profit are being ignored in favor of the DS-division. This internal conflict threatens the unity of the joint struggle headquarters ahead of planned industrial actions.
Union members, including Planning Director Baek Soon-hwan and Suwon branch head Lee Ho-seok, staged the confrontation at the Samsung Electronics headquarters in Suwon [1, 3]. The tension stems from a demand for a 600 million won performance bonus specifically targeting the DS semiconductor division [2].
Baek said the union chairman had been ignoring official documents, which prompted the members to seek a face-to-face encounter [1]. The DX-division workers seek equal treatment, arguing that the semiconductor division's growth was supported by the management profits of the DX-division [1].
Lee said Samsung Electronics did not grow through the semiconductor division alone, noting that the DX-division's profits provided the foundation for that growth [1].
While the confrontation was characterized by direct demands for inclusion, other reports indicate a deeper fracture. Some sources state that DX-division unions decided to withdraw entirely from the joint struggle headquarters [2]. This total withdrawal marks a shift away from the collective effort to pressure the company for bonuses [2].
These internal divisions surface as the joint struggle headquarters prepares for a planned strike on May 21, 2024 [2]. The loss of DX-division support could significantly reduce the leverage of the union during negotiations with Samsung management.
“DX-division workers feel excluded from the 600 million-won performance-bonus plan.”
The fragmentation of the Samsung Electronics union suggests that the company's diverse product portfolio is creating divergent interests among its workforce. By focusing bonus demands on the high-profile semiconductor division, the union risks alienating the DX-division, potentially allowing management to negotiate with fractured labor groups rather than a unified front.
