Samsung faces major strike, one-fifth of total workforce to halt work for a day.

The South Korean union of Samsung Electronics will intensify strike actions next week to demand higher wages, union officials said on Wednesday.

The union, which has about 28,000 members representing more than one-fifth of the company's total workforce, announced a one-day strike on June 7 as part of broader protest measures.

Union officials declared this decision at a live-streamed press conference, where they displayed a banner reading, "We can no longer tolerate labor oppression and union suppression."

In response to the company's decision to increase wages by 5.1% this year, the union had previously stated that they wanted an additional day off and a transparent performance bonus system.

On Wednesday, the union accused the tech giant of failing to propose a compromise during negotiations held the previous day.

Samsung Electronics stated on Wednesday: "We will sincerely discuss matters with the union."

A union official defended the decision to take industrial action, even though some of Samsung's businesses are underperforming.

"The company has been claiming to be in crisis for the past 10 years," a union official told reporters, adding that the company should not use this as an excuse to refuse their demands.

The union stated that all company sites across South Korea would be affected by the action on June 7.

The strike announcement comes as Samsung appears to be struggling in some areas, including advanced semiconductor chips.

Last week, Samsung replaced the head of its semiconductor division, citing the need for new leadership to address what they described as a "crisis" affecting the chip industry.

Last week, over 2,000 unionized workers of the South Korean tech giant held a rare rally in Seoul, demanding better wages.

Samsung Electronics' stock price fell by 1.9% by 0337 GMT on Wednesday, compared to South Korea's KOSPI index.