Vergessene Arbeitskämpfe – Ein Punk-Abend

Not even a storm in a teacup, and it’s raining money!

Threatening strike action at Samsung in South Korea 2026

Everything started with very above-average profits and incredible returns, made possible by AI. Samsung’s operating profit from January to March 2026 totalled an incredible 57.2 million Korean won, about 33 billion euros. That’s roughly eight times the figure for the same period last year. This immense profit was driven by the massive global demand for computer chips. 94% of Samsung’s total profit is generated by the company’s semiconductor division.

But this division came up empty-handed. The workers were excluded from this enormous growth. About 48,000 unionized 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%. That amounts to a loss of $20 billion. Global supply chains would be affected, and Samsung’s reputation would be ruined. The South Korean government mediated the negotiations between the management and the union. The focus was on bonus payments. The powers that be wanted to prevent a national and international economic crisis. The workers wanted a fair share of the high profits. A last-minute agreement was reached: a 6.2% wage increase for the semiconductor sector and annual bonuses of up to €340,000 for each of its employees.

Wow. Congrats. Hey, Punk is happening!!