BlockBeats report: On May 20, the Samsung Electronics Korea Union announced it is postponing its planned strike scheduled for tomorrow, and will hold a vote on the salary proposal. Previously, on the 18th, a South Korean court partially granted Samsung Electronics’ request for an injunction against the union’s planned strike; if the union proceeds with the strike in violation of the court order, it will be fined approximately 1 billion Korean won per day.
Samsung Electronics' labor union had planned to begin an 18-day strike starting May 21. The core reason is to seek a greater share of profits during 2026, when the company’s AI semiconductor business is projected to record historic high earnings. The union demands the elimination of performance bonus caps, the institutionalization and transparency of allocating 15% of the company’s operating profit as performance bonuses, and a 7% increase in base salaries to narrow the pay gap with competitor SK Hynix. In response, Samsung management is willing to offer only a one-time special bonus or a limited 10% profit-sharing scheme, refusing to permanently alter the system due to concerns about increased long-term operational burdens and potential negative impacts on competitiveness and shareholder value.