At the Central Labor Relations Commission's second post-adjustment meeting, union negotiators issued a \"final ultimatum\" and dug in
Labor and management remain sharply divided over core issues, including whether performance bonuses should be calculated based on 15% of operating profit
The threat of a companywide strike beginning on May 21 is growing; if it occurs, losses could reach as much as 40 trillion KRW (30 billion USD)
[Asia Times=Reporter Lee Ha-young] A companywide strike at Samsung Electronics is imminent.
On May 12, Choi Seung-ho, chair of the Samsung Electronics branch of the Cross-Company Union—the company's largest union—said at about 6:30 p.m. that \"if a mediation proposal is not presented within two hours, the talks will collapse.\"
He made the remark during the second post-adjustment meeting at the Central Labor Relations Commission held at the Government Complex-Sejong, which began at 10 a.m. that morning. The commission is mediating the post-adjustment talks.
Choi's warning that negotiations could break down has heightened the prospect of a Samsung-wide strike. The two sides remain far apart over the key issue of recognizing 15% of operating profit as the basis for calculating performance bonuses.
Earlier, beginning March 9, the Samsung union held a strike-authorization vote among roughly 89,000 members. On March 18, 93.1% voted in favor, securing the union's right to strike. The union then announced a member rally on April 23 and a companywide strike scheduled for May 21–June 7.
On April 23, the union held a large rally outside the Pyeongtaek campus. Domestic and international industry and financial analysts warned that a full-scale strike could inflict losses between 20–40 trillion KRW (approximately 15–30 billion USD) if it materializes.
