Samsung leaders urge unity ahead of strike

May 08, 2026, 08:32 am

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/Yonhap

With a general strike by Samsung Electronics’ labor union looming just two weeks away, the company’s two top executives — Vice Chairman Jeon Young-hyun, head of the Device Solutions (DS) division, and President Roh Tae-moon, who oversees the Device eXperience (DX) division including TVs and consumer electronics — have directly appealed to employees for cooperation.

The executives warned that labor-management conflict could undermine Samsung’s future competitiveness and stressed the need for continued dialogue. Despite expectations for record earnings driven by a semiconductor boom this year, the planned strike could reportedly result in losses of up to 30 trillion won. Industry observers say Samsung is already under pressure from intensifying competition in the global semiconductor market and growing challenges from Chinese rivals in the consumer electronics business.

According to industry sources on Wednesday, Jeon and Roh each posted a message titled “A message to all employees” on the company’s internal bulletin board.

The two executives said, “We ask all employees to do their best in their respective roles so that our future competitiveness is not damaged,” adding, “The company will continue discussions with an open attitude and strive to find solutions that employees can support.”

They also explained the status of wage negotiations, saying, “Since last December, the company has been negotiating with the labor union’s joint bargaining group over the 2026 wage agreement.” They added that management had proposed alternatives after considering employees’ interests, the company’s future competitiveness and business conditions, while attempting to broaden mutual understanding through dialogue.

Samsung Electronics is currently facing labor-management tensions centered on performance-based bonuses. The union has announced plans to launch an 18-day general strike starting May 21.

Industry officials warn that if the strike becomes reality, it could cause up to 30 trillion won in losses, potentially disrupting semiconductor supply chains and leading to the loss of customers.

The DX division is already under pressure, posting an operating profit margin of just 6% in the first quarter this year. Samsung has recently intensified restructuring efforts, including withdrawing from portions of the Chinese TV and home appliance markets and replacing the head of its TV business.

The government also issued strong remarks regarding the labor dispute.

Moon Shin-hak, Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, said during a briefing, “Labor and management must negotiate with a sense of urgency, recognizing that Korea could fall behind competitors in the United States, China and Japan.”

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon also emphasized during a nationwide meeting of agency heads that Samsung Electronics’ success was not achieved by the union alone.

“It cannot be denied that today’s Samsung Electronics was built with the efforts of numerous partner companies, government support, continuous R&D investment and the cooperation of local residents in securing massive power supplies required by the semiconductor industry,” Kim said.

#Samsung Electronics #labor union #strike