Controversy Surrounds Samsung Union Leader Amid Strike Threat

As Samsung Electronics faces the largest strike threat in its history, a moral controversy surrounding the union leadership is intensifying. Choi Seung-ho, chairman of the Samsung Group Corporate Labor Union (Corporate Union), is under scrutiny for his inappropriate remarks and allegations of creating a blacklist of union members who do not participate in the strike, leading to growing criticism of his qualifications even within the union.

On May 10, industry sources reported that Choi responded harshly to a union member in the community, saying, "Are you part of the executive committee? Why are you acting like a rat?" and indicated that the member would be expelled. Despite the member's request for an opportunity to explain, Choi publicly stated, "I will change your status to a non-member and discuss your permanent expulsion with the executive committee." This behavior has been criticized by some members as an oppressive tactic that stifles free expression within the organization.

The internal conflict within the union is deepening due to Choi's 'communication breakdown' approach, which excludes differing opinions. The second union, the National Samsung Electronics Labor Union (Jeonsamno), sent a formal letter on May 7 requesting an apology for Choi's threatening remarks regarding the exclusion of member feedback from negotiations.

Jeonsamno criticized Choi's actions, stating, "This goes beyond personal attacks and seeks to erase the voices of our members from the negotiation table," adding that it severely undermines trust among workers and between unions. They demanded that Choi apologize and demonstrate a proactive attitude to restore inter-organizational trust.

Earlier, on May 4, the third union, the Samsung Electronics Labor Union Donghaeng, which focuses on the DX sector, announced it would withdraw from joint negotiations, stating, "The Corporate Union has ignored and excluded our union's opinions while abusing its majority status." They also accused Choi of ongoing derogatory remarks that could be classified as insults under criminal law.

Choi's inappropriate behavior is not a new issue. Amid the looming threat of the largest strike in the company's history, he faced backlash for taking a vacation to Southeast Asia at the end of last month, which many employees viewed as irresponsible. The government is also closely monitoring the situation.

Choi previously issued a public apology after making remarks that appeared to belittle other unions while advocating for the demands of his own. In response to comments from President Lee Jae-myung targeting the Samsung Electronics union, Choi remarked in the union community, "This is about LG Uplus. They are asking for 30%, while we should settle for a reasonable level of 15%." However, when comparing the requested bonuses, the average demand from Samsung Electronics' semiconductor division is around 600 million won per person, while the LG Uplus union's request falls short of 30 million won per person. This led to a backlash from the LG Uplus union, prompting the Corporate Union to express sincere apologies and bow their heads in response.