Samsung Electronics faces 18-day strike by nearly 45,000 unionized workers
Samsung Electronics is gearing up for a major challenge: nearly 45,000 unionized workers are planning an 18-day strike starting May 21.
Talks with the union broke down over bonus policies, so this could turn into the biggest semiconductor industry strike ever.
If it goes ahead, global tech supply chains might feel the impact.
Pyeongtaek plant begins shutdown protocols
To limit damage, Samsung has kicked off shutdown protocols at its Pyeongtaek chip plant and moved thousands of wafer containers to protect production.
They're focusing on high-value products like High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) while restricting new materials.
A long strike could cost Samsung nearly $20 billion and ripple across the tech world.
Union demands uncapped 15% operating bonus
The union wants a clear bonus system: 15% of operating profits with no cap, but management prefers sticking to its current setup.
Although Samsung offered last-minute talks, union leaders are holding out for concrete proposals from co-CEO Jun Young-hyun.
With negotiations stuck and the strike date looming, both sides are under pressure to find common ground.