The Samsung Group Super-Enterprise Labor Union's Samsung Electronics chapter, the company's largest union, has begun preparing its proposals for the 2027 negotiations, expecting to secure the position of sole bargaining representative.
However, the Donghaeng Union and the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) have challenged the move, arguing that a bargaining representative has yet to be officially selected.
According to industry sources on Sunday, Donghaeng plans to formally reject a request from the largest union to submit its proposals for the upcoming negotiations.
On Oct. 15, the Super-Enterprise Union asked the two unions to submit their demands ahead of its policy committee meetings scheduled for Oct. 29 and 30.
The Super-Enterprise Union said it expected to become the bargaining representative in December and asked the other unions to submit their proposals ahead of negotiations.
However, Donghaeng and the NSEU rejected the request, arguing that no bargaining representative had been selected and the formal process had yet to begin.
"It is inappropriate to submit bargaining proposals on the assumption that a particular union will become the bargaining representative," the NSEU said.
The union added that it would submit its proposals once the bargaining representative was officially determined.
Under South Korean labor rules, multiple unions at the same workplace must establish a unified bargaining channel before negotiating with management. If they fail to agree on a representative, a union representing a majority of eligible union members can secure that position following verification by the Labor Relations Commission.
The Super-Enterprise Union currently has about 53,000 members, compared with roughly 31,000 at Donghaeng and 24,000 at the NSEU.
The largest union expects to secure bargaining rights based on its membership strength.
The dispute also reflects growing divisions between Samsung's Device Solutions (DS) division, which oversees its semiconductor business, and Device eXperience (DX) division, which covers smartphones, televisions and home appliances.
The Super-Enterprise Union previously voted to focus on DS employees and announced plans to pursue separate wage negotiations for the semiconductor division.
Donghaeng, which represents mainly DX employees, has opposed the approach, arguing that their interests were overlooked in the wage agreement reached between Samsung Electronics and its unions in May.
It has called for a joint bargaining framework that would allow DX employees to participate alongside their DS counterparts.
The disagreement comes amid a widening performance gap between Samsung's semiconductor and consumer electronics businesses, raising concerns that the unions could struggle to establish a common negotiating position before formal talks begin.
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