Samsung Electronics reached a partial agreement on workplace safety with sickened workers and their families, nearly a decade after the death of a 22-year-old chip worker from leukaemia galvanised concern about conditions in South Korea’s semiconductor industry. The South Korean company and Banolim, which is the main advocacy group for sick workers, along with another group representing workers signed an agreement Tuesday to establish an external committee that will have oversight of safety at Samsung. Its mandate includes measures such as ensuring Samsung preserves information related to workers’ health and conducting spot checks of chemicals used in its manufacturing. If any hazardous substances are detected during random checks, the company’s health management team will order their use stopped, according to the agreement. Samsung also agreed to give workers access to information related to their health and safety when they apply for government insurance covering occupational diseases.
Workers and their lawyers have complained that Samsung denied access to key information on health and safety, citing confidentiality.
Baek Suhyeon, Samsung’s top negotiator, said the agreement was “meaningful.”
Hwang Sang-gi, the founder of Banolim, said the measures were “significantly inadequate” but the group concluded the talks on preventive measures because negotiations had become too time-consuming. The group vowed to continue its protests and urged Samsung to resume talks on compensation. The external committee will examine workplace conditions that affect workers’ health and safety at Samsung, such as management of chemicals.
