A union representing workers at Micron Technology's plant in Taoyuan, Taiwan, held a 24-hour warning strike on Thursday, 22 October 2026, demanding a larger share of the memory chipmaker's record profits from the AI boom. Nikkei Asia described it as the first strike in Taiwan's semiconductor industry.
A small but symbolic walkout
The strike began at 9am local time outside the Taoyuan plant, according to Reuters. Turnout was very small: Taiwan's Central News Agency counted 11 union officials on the picket line and AFP counted five workers, according to FinanceFeeds. TrendForce analyst Ellie Wang said a one-day action with critical production lines running normally would likely have a limited effect on supply, and no disruption to output has been reported.
What the union wants
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| One-off bonus for fiscal 2026 | About 83 months’ pay |
| From fiscal 2027 | A permanent scheme paying out 15% of operating profit every quarter |
| Micron’s September offer | Up to 68 months’ pay, rejected by the union |
Sources: 24/7 Wall St. and FinanceFeeds. The union said Micron did not give specific profit-sharing figures during talks on 21 October. Reports differ on the strike vote: TrendForce said 1,994 of 2,258 eligible members (88.3%) voted in favour, while other reports put support at 99% of votes cast.
For comparison, Samsung has set aside 10.5% of its chip operating profit for bonuses and SK Hynix 10%, according to 24/7 Wall St.
One union settles, another strikes
A day before the strike, Micron reached an agreement with the larger union at its Taichung site, its biggest in Taiwan, whose terms were not disclosed. "Micron remains hopeful that both sides will continue their dialogue," the company said of the Taoyuan dispute, according to Reuters.
Why the stakes are high
Micron employs about 15,000 people in Taiwan, which produces 50–60% of its chips. Taoyuan makes front-end DRAM wafers, while Taichung makes advanced DRAM and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI servers. Demand for AI memory has transformed Micron's finances: fiscal 2026 revenue reached $133.19 billion, up from $37.38 billion, with operating income of $99.34 billion, according to 24/7 Wall St.
Workers across the chip industry are increasingly asking for a share of those gains. With memory supplies already tight, even small disruptions are watched closely by AI companies. Chip stocks have also been volatile this week; see our report on Thursday's chip-stock rout.
What happens next
The Taoyuan union plans to poll its members on Micron's latest proposal. If talks fail, it could call longer action.
