Samsung faces an 18-day strike over AI chip bonuses that could reshape global supply chains

Memory workers would get at least six times more

Samsung Electronics is bracing for an 18-day strike by more than 45,000 workers starting May 21, a move that could disrupt memory chip output vital for AI data centers and consumer devices. The dispute centers on bonus pay: Samsung wants memory employees (about 27,000) to receive at least six times more than staff in its logic chip design and manufacturing units. Union leaders warn the gap will drive talent away, weaken foundry operations, and threaten Samsung’s push to be a one-stop semiconductor supplier worldwide.