Samsung Electronics' largest union, the Samsung Group Major Union, has officially protested against another in-house union, the Donghaeng Union, demanding an end to derogatory and violent remarks aimed at Chairman Choi Seung-ho. The conflict between the unions, which has escalated over performance bonuses, has now turned into a dispute over the language used by the rival union's leadership.
On September 14, industry sources reported that the Major Union recently sent a formal letter to the Donghaeng Union, stating that inappropriate expressions targeting Chairman Choi and Samsung Electronics employees were used in internal communication channels. They demanded an official response and measures to prevent recurrence.
The Major Union claimed that the Donghaeng Union's communication included extreme expressions suggesting physical harm or mentioning death in reference to Chairman Choi. They also noted derogatory comments about Samsung Electronics employees and specific business divisions.
In response, the Major Union requested clarification on the facts surrounding these statements and whether the Donghaeng Union's leadership was aware of them. They also sought information on whether any warnings or removals of the problematic comments had been made.
The Major Union maintains that while differences in positions and criticisms between unions are acceptable, expressions that insult individuals or imply harm cannot be tolerated. They demanded an apology for the remarks and called for the establishment of internal standards and management measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The conflict between the Samsung Electronics unions intensified during this year's wage negotiations. The Major Union, which has a significant number of members from the semiconductor (DS) division, and the Donghaeng Union, focused on the finished products (DX) division, have shown differing positions on the distribution of performance bonuses. The Donghaeng Union even withdrew from the joint negotiation group in May. Since then, both sides have engaged in multiple disputes over negotiations and compensation issues.
Currently, the Major Union is also pursuing a reorganization that limits membership eligibility to the DS division. A vote among members on proposed amendments to related regulations and a motion of no confidence against two DX division executives is scheduled to take place starting September 16.
Meanwhile, the Major Union has faced ongoing controversy surrounding Chairman Choi Seung-ho, following revelations that he signed a contract worth approximately 370 million won with a company run by his father-in-law for rally supplies. He has also been referred to prosecutors for alleged violations of personal information protection laws. In response to the contract with his father-in-law's company, Chairman Choi stated that he made the decision based on a comparison of prices and delivery conditions, asserting that he did not gain any personal benefit.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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