Overview
- Samsung proposed an unconditional restart of pay and bonus negotiations, while the main unions kept plans for an 18‑day walkout from May 21 to June 7 and said they would talk after the strike ends.
- To limit damage if workers down tools, Samsung has begun cutting new wafer inputs and prioritizing higher‑value chip lines, with industry estimates warning losses could reach 100 trillion won if in‑process wafers spoil.
- Senior officials urged a deal and said a stoppage must be avoided, and the industry minister signaled emergency arbitration would be likely if the strike begins.
- The dispute centers on labor demands for 15% of operating profit as bonuses, removal of caps, and a 7% base‑pay rise, while management offers a 10% profit pool with a one‑time payout and no permanent rule change.
- Record first‑quarter profits driven by semiconductor sales and SK Hynix’s bonus reform, which scrapped caps and lifted payouts, set expectations higher at Samsung and raised the risk that customers could shift orders if supply falters.