[Sankyung Today = Reporter Lee Jun-young]
Samsung Electronics and its unions have reached a tentative wage agreement, but the deal has provoked a sharp backlash within union ranks.
Members are leaving the Samsung branch of the Samsung Group cross-company union — which had been the largest union and held majority status — and the exodus is rapidly reshaping the union landscape at Samsung Electronics.
Industry sources said the cross-company union had 69,935 members as of 6 p.m. the previous day, a drop of more than 6,000 from a peak above 76,000 during negotiations.
Departures have been especially pronounced among employees in the Device Experience (DX) division, which handles smartphones, TVs and home appliances. Many DX workers perceive the tentative agreement as favoring the Device Solutions (DS) division, which oversees semiconductors, and that perception appears to have fueled the pushback.
In April, the cross-company union secured recognition from the Ministry of Employment and Labor as a majority union and as the legal representative of workers.
But to retain majority status stably, the union must represent roughly half of all employees — about 64,500 members — so continued departures could undermine its bargaining representation.
If the union’s majority is eroded, its leverage in negotiations with management could weaken.
Observers also warn the cross-company union may see its influence diminish in next year’s process to consolidate bargaining channels across multiple unions.
At the same time, other unions are adding members quickly. The National Samsung Electronics Labor Union grew to 20,600 members as of 9 a.m. on the 28th, up about 5,000 from the mid-16,000s reported on the 20th.
The Samsung Electronics Donghaeng union is also expanding, reporting 15,936 members as of 6:30 a.m. that day.
Donghaeng’s membership jumped sharply after the tentative agreement; it was in the 2,600 range on the 20th. Ratification votes on the wage deal likewise showed clear divisions among unions.
The cross-company union recorded an 80.6% approval rate, while the National Samsung union reported just 21.1% support. Analysts interpret this split as reflecting conflicting interests between the DS-heavy cross-company union and other unions aligned with DX opposition.
The cross-company union leadership has moved to stem further DX departures. In a message to members, Chair Choi Seung-ho said the DX leadership would be reorganized and the representative handling DX bargaining would be replaced. He also announced plans to hold a confidence vote in June.
Industry sources say this episode could alter the balance of power in labor relations at Samsung Electronics beyond mere membership shifts. Although the wage negotiations are concluded, competing divisional interests and inter-union competition are likely to keep the company’s union landscape unsettled for some time.
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