Samsung Takes Legal Path Ahead of May 21st Workers' Strike Plan

The logo of Samsung Electronics Co. at the company's office building in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)

JAKARTA - Samsung Electronics is taking legal action ahead of a planned May 21 union general strike.

According to a Yonhap report quoted on Thursday, April 16, the company filed a request with the Suwon District Court, South Korea, to anticipate potential union actions that could disrupt production. An industry source quoted on Thursday, April 16, said the move was allegedly to prevent the occupation of important facilities, including semiconductor production lines.

Samsung insists that the request for a temporary injunction is not to hinder the rights of trade unions guaranteed by the constitution. According to the same source, the legal action is aimed at preventing actions prohibited by law and reducing the risk of operational losses.

This move comes after Samsung workers affiliated with the union announced plans for a general strike on May 21.

Wage negotiations between the two parties actually began last month. However, the talks were immediately halted after there was no agreement on the removal of the upper limit on performance-based bonuses.

According to the report, the union asked Samsung to allocate 15 percent of the company's operating profit for bonuses.

Amid the dispute, Samsung Electronics reported first-quarter operating profit of 57 trillion won, or about $38.7 billion.

For Samsung, this issue is not just about wage negotiations. There are bigger interests to keep production running, especially at major facilities such as semiconductor lines. On the other hand, the strike plan shows that talks between the company and the union have not found a way out.

So far, the negotiation track has not produced a meeting point. Samsung chose to go to court. The union remains ready to hold a strike.