Samsung Electronics’ two top executives called on employees Thursday to stay focused on the company’s long-term competitiveness, as a planned union strike loomed amid stalled wage talks over performance-based pay.
Jun Young-hyun, vice chairman and head of the device solutions division, which oversees the company's semiconductor business, and Roh Tae-moon, president and head of the device experience (DX) division, said in an internal message to employees that management would act responsibly to help the company navigate an increasingly difficult global business environment.
“We ask all employees to do their utmost in their respective roles so that our future competitiveness is not weakened,” the executives said. “The company will continue discussions with an open mind and work to find a solution that employees can support.”
The message came as Samsung Electronics’ union prepares to launch a full-scale strike in two weeks. It marked a rare direct appeal by the company’s top management as the dispute over its performance bonus system risks escalating into a broader labor conflict.
Samsung has been in talks with a joint labor union bargaining group since December over the 2026 wage agreement. The company said it had put forward proposals after taking into account employee compensation, business conditions and the need to protect its future competitiveness.
“During the negotiations, the company sought to put forward proposals that reflect employee compensation, future competitiveness and business conditions, while working to build a broader understanding through dialogue with the union,” Jun and Roh said.
The executives said they regretted that the two sides had yet to reach a final agreement. “As negotiations have dragged on, we believe many employees may be feeling concern and frustration,” they said.
Their message appeared intended to show that management is prepared to take a more active role in resolving the dispute through dialogue, while seeking to prevent the standoff from ending in a strike.
Samsung made what it described as an unprecedented offer during intensive wage negotiations that began March 26, particularly to boost morale among employees in its DS division.
Under the proposal, if the DS division outperforms its domestic competitors, Samsung would pay performance bonuses above the existing ceiling and at a level higher than those offered by rivals. The company also offered a special reward that could exceed the current performance bonus cap of 50 percent of annual salary.
The union has announced plans to stage an 18-day strike from May 21 to June 7.
The executives stressed that the company would remain open to further discussions, while urging employees to keep Samsung’s long-term competitiveness in mind at a time of intensifying global competition.
The union, however, has continued to demand the permanent abolition of the performance bonus cap and broader changes to the compensation system, despite what Samsung described as a more flexible offer, leaving talks stalled ahead of the planned strike.
By Jie Ye-eun (yeeun@heraldcorp.com)
