Samsung Electronics union calls off planned 18-day strike

閱讀中文版本

A last-minute agreement on performance bonuses could see chip division employees receive payouts of up to 600mn won.

In the final hour before the planned 18-day total strike was due to begin, Samsung Electronics and its labour union have reached a last-minute tentative agreement on performance bonuses, leading the union to suspend the strike.

According to multiple media reports, including Yonhap News Agency and Reuters, negotiations concluded on 20 May 2026. Under the provisional deal, Samsung will introduce a new special semiconductor performance bonus equivalent to 10.5% of business performance earnings, with no cap.

The special bonuses will be paid in company stock over a period of at least 10 years, with targets for the chip division to achieve more than 200tn won in annual operating profit from 2026 to 2028, and 100tn won from 2029 to 2035, said the report.

Of the total bonus pool, 40% will reportedly be allocated at the division level, while the remaining 60% will be distributed among individual business units.

Based on forecasts that Samsung's operating profit could reach 300tn won this year, the report said the agreement could translate into bonus payouts of up to 600mn won for each of the 28,000 employees in the chip division.

The 18-day strike, initially scheduled to begin today (21 May), was expected to involve more than 50,000 participants following a breakdown in earlier negotiations. If carried out, the prolonged work stoppage could result in losses of up to 100tn won and disrupt the global semiconductor supply chain.

The tentative agreement will be put to a vote by union members from 2pm on 22 May to 10am on 27 May.