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News & Current Events Apr 24, 2026 at 12:13 PM

Samsung workers demand greater slice of profits from AI boom

Posted by Brilliant_Version344

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IntelArtiGen Apr 24, 2026 +98
Well the stock price of their company did +300% in a year so I'm not surprised they want a "small" part of this money. They totally deserve it, they're the workers.
98
Zarkanthrex Apr 24, 2026 +17
Don't companies like this usually offer stock options for employees? I've never worked corporate, so im just guessing based on jobs my family members have had.
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Yelworc0242 Apr 24, 2026 +46
Only csuite level. Everyone else gets the standard slightly under inflation "raise" every year. It's the corporate way.
46
DerpyNerdy Apr 24, 2026 +11
Even if they did offer stock options, realistically they would likely reject it in favour of cash. Cause unlike the top echelon of society, these folks are more than likely living paycheck to paycheck and they need to pay bills within the month. They can't pay bills with stocks. They don't have the luxury of holding a piece a paper that will maybeee grow in value in a few years. Stocks are useless when you don't have the holding power.
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SoftlySpokenPromises Apr 24, 2026 +1
Can't even properly wipe your ass with stock options, useless in reality unless you have alternate income or borrowing power.
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seanflyon Apr 24, 2026 +3
Is that a Korean thing? I've worked at a variety of American tech companies and all of them offer equity.
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Chance_Orchid_3137 Apr 24, 2026 +3
it may be different in korea but in the US tech companies usually offer stock
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IntelArtiGen Apr 24, 2026 +5
It depends on the companies and the employees. In my experience they do, but what many young workers receive is nothing compared to what older workers / retirees receive.
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ApplicationOwn5570 Apr 24, 2026 +6
Only in the upper chain really. I worked at a traded company before in a junior position and we got the option once per year to buy a stock „package“ 10, 20 or 60 pieces. For 50% off. Many never took it tho because it would cut the money from your next salary. And they didn’t really know how easy it is to just sell it on the next day.
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Impossible-Ground-98 Apr 24, 2026 -7
Yep, I've never heard of a public corporate company that doesn't offer a stocks program
-7
TailRudder Apr 24, 2026 +2
Huh??
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Impossible-Ground-98 Apr 24, 2026 -3
? I always got stock options at companies I worked at, same as anyone I know. I'd be very surprised if Samsung doesn't offer it.
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TailRudder Apr 24, 2026 +2
I've worked for several Fortune 500 companies and never got stock options. I think you're the exception not the rule
2
Impossible-Ground-98 Apr 24, 2026 -1
well, everyday we learn something new I guess
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fhs Apr 24, 2026 +2
The stock program is pittance, a few thousands dollars worth of shares. It's not the same offer package to the c-suite at all
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Impossible-Ground-98 Apr 24, 2026 -3
if you're a simple employee not risking anything for the company decisions, why would you think you deserve to receive more? Sounds like people who got stock options in Samsung got a very nice return over the last year
-3
Idiot_Savant_13 Apr 24, 2026 +2
The "essential" part of the workforce may well be about to learn their power.
2
Bierculles Apr 25, 2026 +2
You'd probably have more luck with getting money from the KKK for a charity for disadvantaged black children than with this.
2
RoleTall2025 Apr 24, 2026 +2
thats not how any of this works. Ever. Companies with stock options and provident funds do so in regions where tax benefits are present for doing so. If that benefit does not exist, the practice will end any CEO's career by the board
2
ExitMusic_ Apr 24, 2026
That sounds like COMMIE TALK 🫵
0
DateMasamusubi Apr 24, 2026 +28
About 70% of Samsung employees are unionised so this is pretty impactful.
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imminatural Apr 24, 2026 +11
Unions versus chaebols, place your bets as to who will win. And the chaebols win! We didn't even check the results, because the chaebols own all the media and they told us that they won, outstanding, what a landslide!
11
DateMasamusubi Apr 24, 2026 +14
Joking aside, it's usually mixed. Unions have a better track record for the annual salary negotiations vs strikes. But the current govt is very labour friendly (S.Korea passed a sweeping worker rights bill recently that was vehemently opposed by European and US business interests) and the unions know this. The ruling party has also a very strong approval rating while the (rightwing) opposition is sub-15% with elections 40 days out.
14
Brave_Suggestion945 Apr 24, 2026 +12
Samsung is feeling a lot of social pressure from SK Hynix handing 400k usd each to their employees so they're not gonna wave this one away.
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knight_prince_ace Apr 24, 2026 +4
And they deserve it (the workers)
4
Jazzlike_Quiet9941 Apr 24, 2026 +1
Chaebol employees are the most well paid employees in all of Korea btw.
1
The_new_Osiris Apr 24, 2026 +3
Wage growth still grossly out of step with employee productivity growth so
3
hubril Apr 25, 2026 +1
IIRC SK Hynix workers did get huge bonuses for their performances, maximum of almost 2914% of the base salary that includes ALL employees as of early 2026
1
Daveinatx Apr 24, 2026 +1
Must likely something like, "Due to uncertain headwinds and the necessity to act nimbler, best we can do is a 10% headcount reduction "
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Stavvystav Apr 24, 2026
I fear for Samsung's warehouses. They should pay them a fair wage.
0
[deleted] Apr 24, 2026 -10
[deleted]
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caboosetp Apr 24, 2026 +13
The people making hardware for AI are pulling in massive profits.
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VladimiroPudding Apr 24, 2026 +4
Samsung is one of the few players in the market of components, alongside Nvidia. They are profiting of all this.
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sadbrokenfan Apr 24, 2026 +5
do you even know who produces the memory chips these datacenters and AI fiends depend on?
5
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