Samsung employees in South Korea are protesting for more competitive wages, a move that could exacerbate the global RAM shortage already fueled by surging demand from AI data centers.

Workers at Samsung’s semiconductor facilities are demanding wage increases to match rival chipmaker SK Hynix, including the removal of caps on bonus pay, higher allocation for bonuses, and increased base salaries.

If negotiations between the union and management fail, the union has announced plans for an 18-day strike starting May 21. According to Reuters, Samsung’s foundry and memory chip output dropped by 58% and 18%, respectively, during a previous labor dispute.

The RAM shortage has already driven up prices for consumer electronics, including smartphones, gaming consoles like the PS5, and single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi.

Source: The Verge