Ahead of a total strike by the Samsung Electronics labor union, Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon visited the Pyeongtaek campus to persuade the union, which indicated a possibility of resuming negotiations.
On May 15, the Supercorporate Labor Union Samsung Electronics Branch (Supercorporate Union) announced in a post titled "Update on Meeting with the Labor Minister" that "Minister Kim Young-hoon and officials from the Ministry of Employment and Labor visited the Supercorporate Union office." They explained the progress of negotiations, Samsung Electronics' business structure, and key issues at this time, and had an open discussion about the overall status of negotiations with Minister Kim.
The union added, "The minister expressed deep understanding of our position and stated he would clearly convey our intentions to the management."
The Supercorporate Union outlined conditions for resuming negotiations, stating, "We request the replacement of the management's chief negotiator and a substantial change in the management's position as prerequisites for resuming talks. If negotiations resume, we will engage in a responsible and sincere manner."
Earlier that same day, the leadership of Samsung Electronics' semiconductor (DS) division also visited the Pyeongtaek campus for a separate meeting with the union. The executives, including Vice Chairman Jeon Young-hyun, spoke with Chairman Choi for about 40 minutes starting at 2:20 PM, but it is reported that there was no significant change in their position.
With both labor and management maintaining a hardline stance, the involvement of the labor minister appears to be a last-minute intervention to prevent the total strike. The union has announced plans for an 18-day total strike from May 21 to June 7, demanding transparency and institutionalization of performance bonuses. If the strike occurs, it is projected to result in damages amounting to 100 trillion won.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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