The commission is holding the second day of mediation talks from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 19 at the government complex in Sejong. The meeting is closed to the public.
Park Soo-geun, chair of the Central Labor Commission, indicated during a break that a proposal may be forthcoming, stating, "It should come out. It’s still early, but there’s a possibility this evening." He noted that some differences between the parties have narrowed, saying, "A little," and mentioned that negotiations on sector-specific distribution rates are ongoing.
Choi Seung-ho, chair of the joint action committee of the Samsung Electronics union, who had not made any statements before entering the meeting, said, "We will create a proposal that maximizes member satisfaction." When asked if they are maintaining their stance on institutionalizing performance bonuses, he replied, "Yes."
Lee Myung-gu, head of the People Team for Samsung Electronics' Device Solutions (semiconductor division), stated before entering the meeting, "We will do our best until the end."
As he entered the meeting, Park responded to a question about whether the opinions of both sides are converging, saying, "Some are narrowing," and added that they would confirm the differences from the morning session.
Regarding the mediation proposal, he explained, "We will see if both sides can reach an agreement; if it seems unlikely, we will present it. For now, there is still a possibility of an agreement between the two parties, so we will decide after observing." He stated that a draft of the mediation proposal has not yet been prepared.
Samsung Electronics and its union are engaged in the second round of mediation talks at the request of Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon, ahead of a planned strike on May 21. In the previous day's meeting, both sides outlined their positions and began negotiations on key issues such as the criteria and caps for performance bonuses.
The Central Labor Commission plans to listen to both sides and find common ground to prepare a mediation proposal. However, if the meeting extends, it may continue until May 20. The first round of mediation held on May 11-12 also concluded in the early hours of May 13.
The government has indicated that it may invoke emergency mediation powers if the strike at Samsung Electronics materializes. The union has announced that the strike is set to begin on May 21, just two days away.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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