Workers at South Korean tech giant Samsung They started a general strike on Mondayannounced the head of a union representing tens of thousands of workers.
“The strike started today” he announced AFP Son Woo-mok, president of the National Samsung Electronics Union.
In the afternoon, thousands of workers gathered outside the company's foundry and semiconductor factory in Hwaseong, south of Seoul. With ribbons on their jackets with the message “Fight Together”.
“Do you think this won't affect your product line?” asked Union Vice President Lee Hyun-kook. About 5,200 workers gathered at the site.
Why the strike at Samsung?
The union has about 28,000 members, more than a fifth of the company's workforce. It announced a three-day strike last week after wage talks failed.
Management at the world's largest maker of memory chips has been in talks with the union over wages and benefits since January.
“We are at an important crossroads,” the union said in a message to its members. “A strike is the last card we have left,” he added, asking workers to “act together”..
The employees rejected the offer of 5.1% salary increase. The union raised demands for vacation increases and performance-based bonuses.
Samsung declined to comment on the strike.
