Vergessene Arbeitskämpfe – Ein Punk-Abend

Not even a storm in a teacup, and already the money’s pouring in

The threatened strike at Samsung in 2026, South Korea

It all starts with an above-average profit – an unbeatable profit. AI made it possible. Samsung’s operating profit from January to March 2026 amounted to an incredible 57.2 million won – that’s around 33 billion €. That’s roughly eight times the figure for the same period last year. This immense profit was driven by the huge demand for computer chips. 94 per cent of Samsung’s total profit is generated by the company’s semiconductor division.

Yet this division came away empty-handed. The workers were excluded from this enormous growth. Around 48,000 unionised employees threatened an 18-day general strike. It would have been the largest in the company’s history. The South Korean central bank estimated that a general strike at Samsung would reduce the country’s economic growth by 0.5 per cent. That represents a loss of $20 billion. Global supply chains would be affected and Samsung’s reputation would be ruined.

Negotiations between management and the trade union were partly mediated by the South Korean government. The focus was on bonus payments. Those in power wanted to prevent a national and international economic crisis. The workforce was rightly to share in the high profits. An agreement was reached at the eleventh hour: a 6.2 per cent pay rise for the semiconductor division and annual bonuses for each of these employees of up to 340,000.

Wow. Congratulations. It’s all kicking off!!