Taiwanese snack company "Guaiguai" Zhongli factory launches indefinite strike, causing concerns in the technology industry

After launching a strike at 5 a.m. on Friday (2nd), the enterprise union of Guaiguai Zhongli Factory held an extraordinary membership meeting in the evening. The originally planned one-day warning strike was changed to a continued strike due to dissatisfaction with the company's intention to bring migrant workers into the factory. After a vote, it was decided to continue the strike. Since many technology companies will place a pack of green products on their machines to pray that the machines will "operate well," after the news of the strike was revealed, netizens were frightened and shouted, "The computer rooms are trembling," "National security crisis," and "The global supply chain is about to break."

After Guaiguai Company sold the land at its Zhongli factory in July this year, it aroused employees' doubts about the protection of their right to work. Negotiations between labor and management failed. Mediation by the Taoyuan City Government last month was still declared untenable. The Guaiguai Zhongli factory's enterprise union subsequently held a strike vote, and as many as 94% of members agreed to go on strike to obtain the legal right to strike.

The labor union of Guaiguai Zhongli Factory officially launched a one-day warning strike at 5 a.m. on the 2nd. This is also the first strike action in Guaiguai's factory in more than 57 years of operation. Dissatisfied with the company's intention to bring migrant workers into the factory, the union decided to switch to an indefinite strike after voting on the evening of the 2nd. Guaiguai Company expressed regret and respect for this, and emphasized that it has made several demands against the union. The salary has been increased by 5% starting from September 1, and the minimum wage will be increased by 4.7% next year. There will be no conflict, and the salary structure adjustment will be more transparent.

"Guaiguai culture" is popular in Taiwan's technology industry. "Guaiguai puts green on machines" is an alternative "black technology" in Taiwan. Guaiguai also launches co-branded products and peripherals in conjunction with technology events such as the Taipei International Computer Show. What was originally just a pack of snacks placed by engineers next to equipment has gradually become a highly recognizable cultural symbol in Taiwan's technology industry.

American technology media Tom's Hardware recently reported that Guaiguai's factory is facing a strike crisis. It also highlighted Guaiguai's special status in Taiwan's semiconductor and computer industry, calling it the "chip talisman" of the technology industry.

Regarding the decision of the Guaiguai Zhongli factory union to strike indefinitely, netizens said in horror, "The computer room is trembling," "It's about to crash," "It's a national security crisis," and "The global supply chain is about to break." Some people say this is "the biggest ghost story in the Taiwan stock market" and even suggest that "TSMC produces its own."