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Union members chant slogans during a rally organized by the joint struggle committee of Samsung Electronics labor unions in front of the Pyeongtaek campus in Gyeonggi Province on April 23 (Photo = Yonhap News Agency) |
[Alpha Biz= Lee Hyung Jin] Unionized workers at Samsung Electronics’s semiconductor plants are suspected of improperly shifting production line operations to contractor staff during strike-related absences, raising legal and safety concerns.
According to Alpha Biz on April 27, some union members allegedly instructed subcontractor employees—normally responsible only for maintenance and emergency repairs—to directly operate semiconductor equipment and manage production lines.
An official from a subcontractor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “Our contracted role is to remain on standby and repair equipment when failures occur. However, union members told us not to just wait but to run the production lines themselves while they went on strike.”
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World’s first 64Mb DRAM (1992), developed by Samsung Electronics (Photo = Yonhap News Agency) |
The official added, “Asking maintenance personnel to operate semiconductor equipment is like doctors on strike handing a scalpel to medical device vendors or repair technicians and telling them to perform surgery—it is extremely serious and dangerous.”
Such practices reportedly occurred mainly in lower-tier processes, such as module production lines where larger workforces are required.
Production disruptions were significant. While memory lines saw a decline of around 15–25% during a large-scale protest at the Pyeongtaek campus, the foundry division’s output plunged by 58% over the same period. Individual lines recorded sharp drops, including Giheung S1 (-74.3%), Hwaseong S3 (-67.8%), and Pyeongtaek S5 (-42.7%).
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Union members chant slogans during a “Transparency Reform and Bonus Cap Removal” rally organized by the joint struggle committee of Samsung Electronics labor unions in front of the Pyeongtaek campus in Gyeonggi Province on April 23 (Photo = Yonhap News Agency) |
Yoon Joo-ho warned that allowing untrained personnel to operate semiconductor production equipment could lead to serious defects or major safety accidents, given the high-value nature of the facilities.
Labor experts and industry observers are increasingly characterizing the situation as a clear abuse of power and a potential illegal act.
Han Chi-ho criticized the union, stating that it is forcing unlawful demands on weaker subcontractor workers and threatening their livelihoods. He called for a thorough investigation by Samsung Electronics and strict oversight by labor authorities.
Alphabiz 이형진 선임기자(magicbullet@alphabiz.co.kr)
