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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] The labor union at Samsung Biologics has concluded its five-day full-scale strike and will transition to an indefinite work-to-rule campaign starting May 6.
The union, part of the Samsung Group Labor Union Alliance, carried out the strike from May 1 to 5 by taking annual leave on weekdays and refusing holiday work. Approximately 2,800 of the 4,000 union members participated.
The union is demanding a KRW 30 million incentive per employee, an average 14% wage increase, allocation of 20% of operating profit as performance bonuses, and the establishment of fair and transparent HR policies.
After ending the strike, union members will return to work but continue their protest through work-to-rule measures, including refusing overtime and weekend shifts.
Negotiations between labor and management remain deadlocked. A mediation session on May 4, facilitated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, failed to narrow differences. The union rejected the company’s proposal to suspend strike actions and withdraw legal proceedings, stating that no concrete proposals were presented.
Both sides plan to continue talks, including a one-on-one meeting between chief negotiators on May 6 and a tripartite meeting involving government officials on May 8.
Earlier partial strikes involving around 60 workers from April 28 to 30 reportedly disrupted production of certain products, including anticancer drugs, with the company estimating losses of approximately KRW 150 billion.
The company expressed concern over the shift to work-to-rule, noting that potential losses will depend on how strictly the measures are enforced. Given the 24/7 nature of biopharmaceutical production, Samsung Biologics warned that even limited refusal of overtime or passive responses during emergencies could significantly impact operations.
The company added that it will continue to communicate the operational risks to employees and take preventive measures to minimize potential disruptions.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
