"Post Comments, It's an Order from the Organization Division"... Samsung Biologics Union Faces Controversy Over Comment Directives and Pressure on Non-Union Members

Samsung Biologics Union Leaders Instruct Members in Group Chat:

"Post Comments and Express Dissatisfaction... Order from the Organization Division"

Controversy Grows Over Excessive Opinion Control Ahead of Strike

As Samsung Biologics' labor union began a partial strike on the 28th, evidence has been emerging that the union leadership directed members to manipulate internal public opinion and pressured non-union employees to strengthen the strike's momentum, further escalating internal conflict.

Samsung Biologics Plant 4. Samsung Biologics.

According to the bio industry on the 28th, the union leadership at Samsung Biologics has recently been forcing members, via online chatrooms, to leave critical comments on specific posts on the company intranet 'Nox' to sway public opinion. For example, a union executive posted in the chatroom, "This is a directive to all union members," and instructed, "Post comments with your real names expressing 'intent to refuse' and 'dissatisfaction.' This is an order from the organizational department." The executive also outlined a strategy of "dominating the intranet and then moving the campaign offline." While the union is allowed to issue instructions and encourage participation in industrial actions through legitimate procedures, controversy has grown internally over the possibility that forcibly requiring specific actions against members' free will may be illegal.

Meanwhile, posts criticizing the union's coercive atmosphere have been appearing on Blind, an anonymous online community for professionals. One user wrote, "Please do not indiscriminately check whether people have joined the union or attended rallies to pressure those who do not participate in gatherings or strikes," adding, "I am very concerned that some people are targeting non-union members for criticism." Comments on the post included, "If you don't wear the (union) vest, you get dirty looks, and when I said I wouldn't join the strike, someone asked if I was crazy," and, "I am not joining because I feel uncomfortable, but the constant pressure makes me even more uncomfortable."

There is also internal criticism that the union leadership is stoking job insecurity to encourage strike participation, such as spreading rumors about 'voluntary retirement at age 40.' The union sent an email to all employees the previous day stating, "Issues such as voluntary retirement at age 40, unfavorable changes to employment rules, and implementation of four-team, three-shift schedules—which could have a significant impact on employees—have actually been reviewed and promoted," and asserted, "If we do not correct this now, it could become a reality." In response, management firmly denied these claims, stating, "Given the company's growth and young workforce, there is no need to operate a voluntary retirement system, and it has never been institutionalized or implemented."

The Samsung Biologics union began a partial strike on this day, focusing on the materials supply team. This team is responsible for the logistics of essential raw materials for the biopharmaceutical cultivation process and other key operations. The strategy appears to be to preemptively block the supply of materials necessary in the early stages of production, thereby impacting the entire production line.

The union has announced a full-scale strike starting May 1. Recently, the Incheon District Court partially granted the company's request for an injunction to prohibit industrial action by the union. The court restricted industrial action during the final stages of the biopharmaceutical production process, such as purification and filling, which are critical for preventing cell line contamination. The union plans to push ahead with the strike, excluding these restricted processes, by leading members from other departments.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.