On Thursday, Samsung Electronics and the South Korean government jointly appealed to the labor union to return to wage negotiations, only to have their proposal turned down. Samsung dispatched official communications to two prominent unions, aiming to forestall a strike set to commence next Thursday. The two-day negotiation session, mediated by the government, wrapped up on Wednesday without any consensus being reached.

A major point of contention between labor and management revolved around AI-related performance bonuses. The South Korean National Labor Relations Commission stepped in, urging both parties to reconvene negotiations on Saturday. However, the union remained firm, stating it would not engage in further dialogue unless its core demands were addressed.

The union’s key demands include granting employees in the semiconductor division a fixed performance bonus equivalent to 15% of operating profits, along with the elimination of the bonus cap. In stark contrast, Samsung’s management has proposed retaining the bonus cap and offering a one-time special compensation as an alternative.