Samsung Group cross-enterprise labor union, Samsung Electronics chapter

Statement on Samsung Group's 2,655 trillion won domestic investment plan

'Good working conditions and fair treatment are the surest way to retain top talent'

'Thorough preparation needed over haste'

Choi Seung-ho, chairman of the Samsung Electronics chapter of the cross-enterprise labor union, speaks to reporters after a court hearing at Suwon District Court in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on the injunction Samsung Electronics filed against the union to ban allegedly unlawful industrial action. [Yonhap]
Choi Seung-ho, chairman of the Samsung Electronics chapter of the cross-enterprise labor union, speaks to reporters after a court hearing at Suwon District Court in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on the injunction Samsung Electronics filed against the union to ban allegedly unlawful industrial action. [Yonhap]

The Samsung Electronics chapter of Samsung Group's cross-enterprise labor union called Tuesday for a tripartite labor-management-government consultative body in response to Samsung Group's announced domestic investment plan of 2,655 trillion won ($1.71 trillion), saying "thorough preparation is needed over haste." The union said fair treatment befitting top talent is essential and called "fair compensation" the foundation of semiconductor competitiveness.

The cross-enterprise union released its position Tuesday under the title "The cross-enterprise union's stance on the 'mega project.'" The union said competitors are "closing in fast with the full backing of their governments," leaving Samsung in a position where it must defend its leads and close its gaps. "We must prepare properly so we are not pushed out of the competition," it said.

The union said the "mega project" is a task that will determine the future of South Korea's semiconductor industry. "Getting a single line into operation — including site selection, permits, and securing basic infrastructure such as power and water — takes at least five years," it said. "That is precisely why thorough preparation matters more than haste. We hope the company will look ahead with a long view and move forward step by step."

The union also renewed its call for investment in talent. "Maintaining competitiveness requires the spirit of seeking out exceptional people at any cost," it said, adding that "bold, unhesitating investment in securing key talent and technology must underpin the effort." South Korea's semiconductor industry can remain unshaken only when competitiveness across all segments — memory chips, foundry and system semiconductors — is supported in tandem, it said, and achieving this requires backing from both the government and the company.

The union also said it hopes that industrial safety, residential conditions and infrastructure at the worksites where its members will be employed are fully in place, with commensurate treatment to match. "Good working conditions and fair treatment are the surest way to retain top talent and the foundation of semiconductor competitiveness," it said.

The union closed by proposing tripartite dialogue. "Challenges like these can only be resolved when we all unite around a shared purpose," it said. "The union, which knows the shop floor best, will fulfill its role. We propose a labor-management-government consultative forum where the government, the company and the union can gather in one place, and we look forward to constructive dialogue turning this national challenge into a new leap forward for South Korea."

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Jeon Young-hyun has also repeatedly asked the government to improve settlement conditions for talent. At the "Three Mega Projects National Briefing" held at Cheong Wa Dae on June 29, he said the government had spoken of policy support measures including securing top talent and improving settlement conditions. "We will do our best as a company to accelerate and help South Korea make a great leap forward," he said.


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