Samsung Union Approves $340,000 Bonus Deal, Avoiding Chip Strike Amid AI Industry Growth

Samsung Union Votes in Favor of Compensation Deal, Averting Chip Supply Disruption

Samsung Electronics Co.'s largest union has voted in favor of a compensation deal, handing chip workers an average bonus of about $340,000. The move comes as a relief to the tech industry, staving off a potential strike that could have disrupted global chip supply.

The deal was reached after tumultuous negotiations between the union and Samsung, the world's largest memory chipmaker. Approximately 74% of union members voted in favor of the agreement, which was struck in response to workers' demands for a greater share of the profits generated by the global AI infrastructure boom.

Samsung is the world's biggest supplier of memory chips, which are used in a wide range of products, including smartphones, electric vehicles, and AI data center servers. The company's semiconductor arm is on track to become one of the world's most profitable this year, with a 48-fold jump in profit for the March quarter.

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The compensation deal will benefit Samsung's 78,000-strong semiconductor division, with bonus levels varying depending on individual circumstances. Workers in the booming memory division were estimated to be in line for individual payouts of around 600 million won, according to Yonhap News.

The move follows a similar bonus payout agreement reached by rival SK Hynix last year. The actual bonus at Samsung will depend heavily on the company's earnings and chip demand.

Samsung employees earned an average of 158 million won in 2025, according to a company filing in March. The company's profits have surged in recent months, driven by a global AI infrastructure boom.

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