“Samsung Display formally recognizes union establishment, first among Samsung Group”, 29 July 2020

Samsung Display Co.’s labor union was officially recognized by the management, marking the first case under Samsung Group after its de-facto leader vowed departure from the group’s traditional no-union policy in May.

The South Korean display maker’s management and unionized workers on Monday agreed on the official launch of the company’s union, aligned to umbrella labor organization Federation of Korean Metal Workers Trade Unions. The company’s workers formed a union in February but the management officially accepted it on Monday.

The union will be able to open office at the Asan corporate campus in South Chungcheong Province by Aug. 14, with leadership kept stationary.

Samsung Display labor union plans to begin official activity early August, staring with its first collective bargaining with the management.

The official launch of Samsung Display’s labor union marks the first of its kind since Jay Y. Lee, Samsung Electronics vice chairman and de facto head of Samsung Group, in May pledged to abolish Samsung Group’s no-union policy, which has been maintained since the inception of the business empire 80 years ago. Samsung Group last year came under criminal investigation for suppressing union activities.