Samsung Biologics workers launch first-ever strike over pay dispute
Synopsis
Samsung Biologics has never seen a strike in its 14-year history — until now. With workers demanding 14% pay hikes and management offering just 6.2%, and with potential losses exceeding ₩640 billion, the first-ever walkout at one of Asia's largest contract biologics manufacturers could ripple across global pharmaceutical supply chains.
Key Takeaways
Samsung Biologics workers launched a five-day general strike on 1 May 2025 — the company's first since its founding in 2011 .
The union demands a 14% pay increase, a ₩30 million one-off bonus per worker, and bonuses equal to 20% of annual operating profit.
The company has offered a combined 6.2% increase in base and performance pay.
Estimated losses from a full-scale strike could exceed ₩640 billion (US$433 million) , roughly half of Q1 sales.
A court partially blocked the strike, restricting action in 3 of 9 production stages; the company has appealed.
The two sides are scheduled to meet again on Monday under government mediation.
Samsung Biologics workers launched a five-day general strike on 1 May 2025, marking the first labour walkout in the South Korean biotech firm's history since its establishment in 2011. The strike, led by the company's union, centres on demands for higher wages and expanded performance-based compensation, putting at risk an estimated 640 billion won (US$433 million) in potential losses — roughly half of the firm's first-quarter sales of 1.26 trillion won.
What Workers Are Demanding
The union is seeking a 14 percent increase in both base and performance-related pay, a one-off cash incentive of 30 million won per worker, and bonuses equivalent to 20 percent of annual operating profit. The company, however, has countered with a combined 6.2 percent increase in base and performance pay — a figure the union has rejected as inadequate.
Notably, the two sides have held 13 rounds of talks between December and March without bridging the gap. Government mediation efforts also broke down prior to the strike being called, according to the union's statement.
Management's Response and Legal Moves
Samsung Biologics President and Chief Executive Officer John Rim issued a message to employees on Friday urging them to carefully weigh their decision to participate, warning of
Point of View
Where companies have long operated on the assumption that technical workers prioritise job security over collective bargaining. The union's framing — that this is about management's decision-making failures, not just wages — signals a deeper breakdown of institutional trust. With global pharmaceutical clients depending on Samsung Biologics for contract manufacturing, and the FDA's process-integrity standards leaving little room for disruption, management's resort to court injunctions rather than meaningful counter-proposals looks like a costly miscalculation. The Monday mediation session is less a negotiation and more a last exit before the reputational and financial damage becomes structural.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Samsung Biologics workers on strike?
Samsung Biologics workers launched a five-day general strike on 1 May 2025, demanding a 14% increase in base and performance pay, a one-off bonus of ₩30 million per worker, and bonuses equal to 20% of annual operating profit. The union also cited management's failure to engage in substantive negotiations despite 13 rounds of talks since December.
How much could the Samsung Biologics strike cost the company?
The company estimates potential losses from a full-scale strike could exceed ₩640 billion (approximately US$433 million), which is roughly half of its first-quarter sales of ₩1.26 trillion.
Is this the first strike at Samsung Biologics?
Yes. This is the first labour strike in Samsung Biologics' history since the company was established in 2011, making it a landmark event for the South Korean biotech sector.
What did the court decide about the Samsung Biologics strike?
A court partially upheld Samsung Biologics' injunction request, restricting strike activity across three of the company's nine production stages while allowing it to proceed in the remaining six. The company has appealed the ruling.
What happens next in the Samsung Biologics labour dispute?
Samsung Biologics and its union are scheduled to meet on Monday under mediation by a regional labour office of South Korea's labour ministry to discuss the direction of future negotiations.
