THE International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) warned yesterday that poor employment rights and working conditions lay at the root of Samsung’s problems with its exploding new smartphone.

That message coincided with hundreds of South Korean Galaxy Note 7 owners filing a lawsuit against the electronics giant over its handling of the fire-prone device.

Barrister Peter Young Yeel Ko, head of the Harvest law firm, said the 527 plaintiffs want Samsung to compensate them for the costs incurred in visiting shops to exchange their phones, for the hours they had to wait while transferring data and for the psychological harm caused by using a hazardous product.

His clients include a person who claims to have lost thousands of pictures from a family holiday and another who did an eight-hour round trip by car to return the phone.

The group are seeking 500,000 won (£360) compensation per person in their initial claims, a sum which could increase later.

Samsung shareholders are expected to demand answers from executives at Thursday’s extraordinary general meeting in Seoul, as the secretive “chaebol” system of business conglomerates in Korea is facing increasing scrutiny.

The ITUC has gathered evidence of cover-ups during inspection audits, as well as union-busting, at Samsung suppliers in the Philippines.

Technician Massimo Kuhano said: “I don’t have goggles to use with the grinding machines.

“If the company has a visit by auditors, the company will give us a mask, the safety equipment, but only … so that our visitors think it’s a good company.”

ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow said: “As sure as night follows day, a culture of repression against a collective voice for Samsung employees has led to the disastrous quality failures at the company.

“When the workforce is afraid to speak out about real problems on the production line because of an arrogant and domineering management culture, workers and consumers alike face risks to their health and safety.”

“Samsung’s priorities are all wrong,” Ms Burrows said.

“Initially, they tried to minimise the problem and avoid the consequences, and they still show no signs of recognising the human and financial costs of the way they treat employees.”

“Samsung has indeed got its wires crossed. It should be concerned about customer safety and quality, but without concern for workers, corporate greed will be responsible for more deaths and injuries.”