A day before labor talks at Samsung Electronics, some employees posted messages saying they would "switch jobs to a Chinese company to leak technology" and "resign en masse like doctors," sparking controversy.
On the 17th, an anonymous workplace community, Blind, carried a post titled "Samsung in-house sentiment."
The writer introduced the person as a Samsung Electronics employee and wrote, "If the talks break down, everyone says they will move to CXMT and leak technology." The point was to pressure the company if the government-led labor talks set for the 18th fall apart.
CXMT is China's largest DRAM maker. Previously, a former Samsung Electronics Director General was sent to trial on charges of taking hundreds of billions of won in cash and valuables to move to CXMT and then siphoning off semiconductor process data and engineering staff that constitute national core technologies.
Another Samsung Electronics employee posted, "If an emergency adjustment is imposed, we will also head toward a mass resignation like the doctors." The remark targeted the government's consideration of invoking emergency adjustment powers if the general strike drags on.
The emergency adjustment power is a system the Minister of the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) can invoke when there is concern of a significant impact on the national economy or people's livelihoods. Once invoked, industrial action is halted for a set period and the National Labor Relations Commission's mediation process proceeds.
However, some Samsung Electronics employees drew a line, saying, "A few extreme posts are distorting overall employee sentiment." One employee said, "The writer is being criticized on the in-house board," and added, "Please do not generalize all members based on a few extreme expressions."
The largest union at Samsung Electronics, the National Samsung Electronics Union, is currently demanding the removal of the cap on performance bonuses and the allocation of 15% of operating profit as the performance bonus pool.