A rift among labor unions at Samsung Electronics has become official after a union based in the company’s Device Experience (DX) division decided to leave the joint labor front.
Samsung Electronics Union Donghaeng, known as the Donghaeng Union, said May 4 it had formally notified the National Samsung Electronics Union and the Samsung Electronics branch of a cross-company union that their joint bargaining group for 2026 wage talks had ended.
Donghaeng said the decision was driven by deepening conflict and a breakdown of trust among the unions.
“Our union proposed and requested agenda items for the rights and interests of all members, not just those in a specific area, but your unions have not responded at all,” Donghaeng said in a statement. “You have not even shown a willingness to consult, and our views for the benefit of all members have not been reflected.”
According to Samsung’s labor unions, the three unions — the cross-company union, the National Samsung Electronics Union and Donghaeng — formed a joint bargaining group in November to negotiate 2026 wages. After final talks broke down, the group shifted in March into a joint struggle headquarters and announced plans for a general strike on the 21st to press demands including improvements to performance bonuses.
Donghaeng is the company’s third union, with about 2,300 members, most of them in the DX division, which handles businesses such as home appliances, smartphones and TVs.
Donghaeng said it had faced “continuous attacks and disparagement” and that mutual respect and trust had been “seriously damaged,” citing what it called excessive and malicious language, including being labeled a “company-friendly union.”
The union said it had repeatedly sought corrections over disparaging remarks and what it described as one-sided decision-making within the joint struggle headquarters, but saw no improvement and chose to end its participation.
The withdrawal is expected to open a new phase in labor-management relations at Samsung Electronics. The joint front had aimed to unify union voices to pressure management, but its cohesion has weakened ahead of the planned strike.
The joint struggle headquarters has not issued a separate official response and plans to proceed with the general strike on the 21st.
Donghaeng said it will formally notify management of its withdrawal on the 6th and then seek separate bargaining.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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