In June 2021, Samsung Display workers went on strike over wages. The workers demanded a 6.8% wage increase in base pay, but the company insisted on a 4.5% raise. This was the first strike in Samsung's history.

In July 2021, Samsung Display workers accepted the 4.5% wage increase with management, and ended the strike. The next wage negotiations would take place four months later.

In August 2021, Samsung Electronics reached a collective bargaining agreement with labour unions for the first time in company history. Ninety-five items were agreed upon, including full-time sitting union members their full salary while working extra hours for the union, guaranteeing union activities, establishing rules on managing industrial accidents and improving current human resources policies.

In September 2021, Samsung Electronics began its first wage negotiations with unions, which would take place once a week. The negotiations covered salary raises and benefits for 2022. The unions involved in the negotiations were: the Samsung Electronics Office Workers’ Labor Union, Samsung Electronics U.S. Labor Union, Samsung Electronics Labor Union and National Samsung Electronics Labor Union.

The draft wage increase demands included: an increase in annual pay by 10 million won, about 1.07 million won in treasury stock per person, about 3.5 million won in incentives due to COVID-19 per person, and 25 percent of operating profit as a bonus. If these conditions were accepted, this would increase the average wage of a worker by 50% compared to the previous year.

In January 2022, workers began voting on Samsung management's final proposal for wages. According to the unions, the final plan included 30 million won in labour union development funds to support the welfare of union members, and consultations on improving the peak wage system and workers' rights to take a rest. However, the final proposal did not include the wage-related demands of workers. As a result, the majority of workers, 90.7%, rejected the proposal, with the union considering strike action alongside filing an application for arbitration with the Central Labor Relations Commission.