Cases are mounting in which the Samsung Electronics union disparages the company while comparing salaries and treatment with SK hynix. Some worry the union's efforts to improve member treatment could end up hurting morale.
According to the industry on the 12th, the Samsung Electronics chapter of the Samsung Group's cross-company labor union recently posted the first installment of an interview series with a former Samsung Electronics employee who moved to SK hynix, on its website and the internal anonymous board NowTalk.
Employee A, who changed jobs, said that after working for more than 10 years in the DS (semiconductor) division at Samsung Electronics, A did not receive fair evaluations and suffered from depression, repeatedly taking medical leave before ultimately moving to SK hynix. A argued that after the move, there has not been a single bout of depression and that A received fair evaluations for practical work. A added that at Samsung Electronics, you have to heed executives to get good ratings, whereas at SK hynix you are recognized if you simply work hard.
A, whose annual salary was 60 million won at the time of the move, said it tripled within five years after the move, and criticized Samsung Electronics' bonus calculation method as "whatever they feel like." By contrast, A praised SK hynix for making up for salary reversals and narrowing gaps by performance rating.
Following this interview, the cross-company union's Samsung Electronics chapter plans to release up to four interviews with employees who moved to SK hynix.
Last month, there was also a case at Sungkyunkwan University, where the Samsung group is the largest sponsor and maintains a solid industry-academia partnership, in which Samsung Electronics was belittled in comparison with SK hynix before enrolled students. At the time, the cross-company union's Samsung Electronics chapter conducted a survey titled "If you choose between Samsung Electronics DS division and SK hynix, which company would you want to join?" at a cafe near Sungkyunkwan University's College of Engineering.
The board read, "Starting salary: Samsung Electronics about 70 million won, SK hynix about 140 million won (including bonuses)." As bonuses vary each year and are hard to compare, some said the survey blatantly nudged respondents to choose SK hynix.
The union posted on its website that 67 respondents chose Samsung Electronics while 140 chose SK hynix, saying, "Even though Sungkyunkwan University has close ties with Samsung Electronics, about 70% chose SK hynix," and argued, "This shows there are areas Samsung Electronics must improve to secure top talent going forward."
Since last month, when SK hynix set a "100 million won per person bonus" through labor-management agreement, such comparisons have intensified. This year, bonuses in the DS division were set lower than usual due to weak results.
Some say it is understandable for the union to be active in improving member treatment, but attempting forced comparisons with competitor SK hynix could instead dampen morale and spark backlash. For bonuses at Samsung Electronics to rise, results must improve, and activities that run down the company are unlikely to help bonuses rebound.