Samsung Biologics union to strike again on the 6th as labor-management tensions escalate

[Financial News] The Samsung Biologics Labor Union will launch a second strike after wage and collective bargaining negotiations with management were suspended.
According to industry sources on the 4th, the Samsung Biologics union has decided to begin its second strike on the 6th. About 400 members—10% of its roughly 4,000 members in total—are expected to take part.
The strike will involve union members responsible for quality control (QC) testing, quality assurance (QA), logistics, and indirect support work in the production department. The union plans to gradually expand the processes involved in the strike, within the bounds of the court's injunction.
The union said, “The door to negotiations remains open even during the labor dispute,” leaving open the possibility of talks with management.
Samsung Biologics said, “We continue to keep the door open to dialogue to reach an amicable wage and collective bargaining agreement, and our willingness to reach an agreement through negotiations remains unchanged.”
It added, “However, it may be difficult to engage in constructive dialogue and reach an agreement while the union continues its hard-line response, including expanding the strike,” and stressed, “We will do our utmost to maintain stable operations and quality so that patients and client companies are not affected.”
Earlier, the union had planned a three-week general strike starting in the latter part of last month, but postponed it after the court expanded the work covered by its ban on industrial action from three categories to nine. Talks with management were scheduled to resume on the 3rd of this month, but they fell through, reigniting labor-management tensions.
Samsung Biologics and its union have been unable to narrow their differences for more than six months over wage increases and improvements to the personnel system. After mediation with management broke down on March 23, the union began a partial strike in late April, followed by a full-scale strike from May 1 to 5. It has since continued its work-to-rule campaign, refusing overtime and holiday work.

[email protected] Jang Yu-ha Reporter