\u25a0 Samsung and Labor Hold Two-Day Final Talks; \u201cBeing Strong Doesn\u2019t Mean You Get More\u201d \u2014 Government Signals Emergency Mediation if Samsung Union Strikes; Court Partially Grants Injunction Requiring \u201cWafer Staff Kept at Normal Levels\u201dPresident Lee Jae-myung said on the 18th, \u201cLabor must be respected as much as companies, and corporate management rights must be respected as much as labor rights.\u201d The remark was widely interpreted as directed at the Samsung Electronics union, which has threatened a general strike on the 21st.The union is demanding the removal of the current cap on performance bonuses\u2014now roughly 50% of annual pay\u2014and the institutionalization of a mechanism that would allocate 15% of operating profit to the performance-bonus pool.On X (formerly Twitter), Lee invoked the proverb \u904e\u7336\u4e0d\u53ca \u7269\u6975\u5fc5\u53cd, noting that \u201cexcess is as bad as deficiency, and extremes often reverse.\u201d He added, \u201cWorkers should receive fair compensation for their labor, and shareholders who invest and assume risk deserve a share of corporate profits.\u201d His comments framed excessive demands beyond fair compensation as inappropriate.Lee also warned that, although the constitution guarantees basic rights, those rights may be restricted for public welfare so long as their essential content is not infringed\u2014a statement that signals the possible use of emergency mediation if labor and management fail to reach an agreement. \u201cStrength doesn\u2019t mean having more and being happier,\u201d he said. \u201cThe future of a new Korea lies in solidarity, shared responsibility, and prosperity for all.\u201dMeanwhile, the Suwon District Court partially granted Samsung Electronics\u2019 request for a preliminary injunction to prohibit unlawful labor actions. The court ordered that functions related to safety, security, and preventing wafer contamination be maintained at normal staffing levels. If the union violates the order, the union faces KRW 100,000,000 (about $75,000) per day in fines, and executives\u2014including Choi Seung-ho, chair of the Samsung pan-company union\u2014would each be liable for KRW 10,000,000 (about $7,500) per day.Observers said the ruling adds a new variable to negotiations but does not categorically block a strike. The union maintained that the court decision \u201cdoes not pose a major problem\u201d for its planned action. Amid mounting concerns, six major economic organizations urged the union to withdraw the strike and called on the government to respond decisively.On the same day, Samsung and the union entered a second round of post-mediation at the Central Labor Relations Commission. Given the talks\u2019 significance, Commission Chair Park Soo-geun personally participated as a mediator. Choi pledged to \u201cwork in good faith toward a settlement\u201d and left the door open to further talks. The commission scheduled an additional post-mediation session for 10 a.m. on the 19th, keeping the possibility of a deal alive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Samsung’s labor negotiations highlight the need for balance between labor rights and corporate management, amid potential strikes and legal actions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/cdn-union.tenbizt.com\/contents\/crawler-dev\/thumbnail\/2026\/05\/CP-2023-0094\/thumb-af70425e-ff18-4a21-849f-616385306c5c.jpg","footnotes":""},"categories":[278100],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-261873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social"],"yoast_head":"\n