Samsung Electronics’ ‘sixth union’ set to emerge... Could competition among DX unions intensify?

[Financial News] Efforts are underway to establish a sixth labor union at Samsung Electronics. Former officials of existing unions are reportedly leading the effort to form the new union, raising the possibility that competition among unions could intensify, particularly in the finished-products (DX) Division. Observers expect relations among the unions to become more complicated ahead of next year’s wage negotiations.
According to the Samsung Electronics Branch of the Samsung Group Supra-Enterprise Labor Union (the Supra-Enterprise Union), on the 5th, a filing to establish a sixth union, named the “Samsung Electronics Union Shop Labor Union,” was submitted to the Gumi branch office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor the previous day.
The Supra-Enterprise Union, which is centered on the semiconductor (DS) Division, said in a union notice that day that it had confirmed that Han Mun-seok, former head of the Gumi branch of the Samsung Electronics Labor Union Donghaeng (the Donghaeng Union), and Yoon Ju-yong, former secretary-general of the Supra-Enterprise Union, among others, were leading efforts to establish the new union.
The Donghaeng Union is centered on the DX Division. The Supra-Enterprise Union said it understood that “tensions between the current and former leadership of the Donghaeng Union have recently intensified,” explaining that those tensions may have led to the establishment of a separate union.
Accordingly, the new union may focus its activities on the DX Division, although its specific organizational structure and scope of activities have yet to be confirmed.
The Donghaeng Union, however, denied having any connection to the establishment of the sixth union. In a statement that day, it said, “Donghaeng has no connection whatsoever with the ongoing effort to establish the sixth union,” adding, “The interpretation that conflict between Donghaeng’s current and former leadership led to the establishment of the sixth union does not accord with the facts.” It went on to stress, “The background to its establishment should be confirmed directly with the union concerned (the sixth union).”
Five unions are currently active at Samsung Electronics: the Supra-Enterprise Union (the fifth union), the Donghaeng Union (the third union), the National Samsung Electronics Union (Jeonsamno, the fourth union), the Office Workers’ Union (the first union), and the Gumi Network Union (the second union). The Supra-Enterprise Union has 53,475 members, while the Donghaeng Union has 31,043.
During this year’s wage negotiations, Samsung Electronics’ unions have also disagreed over the allocation of performance bonuses between the DS and DX divisions and the direction of negotiations.
The Supra-Enterprise Union plans to prepare for next year’s wage negotiations regardless of the effort to establish a sixth union. It said, “As the union representing the DS Division, we are proceeding with preparations for the 2027 negotiations without a hitch,” adding, “Even if a new union emerges in the DX Division, we will prepare thoroughly to negotiate on our own.”
Meanwhile, the Donghaeng Union is scheduled to hold a large-scale rally at Samsung Electronics’ Suwon campus this afternoon. It is expected to call for a cash-based compensation plan and joint negotiations in 2027, among other things.

[email protected] Lim Su-bin Reporter