"Samsung Elec union poised for first-ever strike upon collapse in wage talks", 4 February 2021

Samsung Electronics Co. faces its first-ever labor unrest as the union entered discussion for collective action after wage negotiation with management broke down.

The South Korean tech giant’s unionized workers...declared they would embark on process on right to strike after their wage terms were rejected by the management.

The labor union plans to apply for mediation with National Labor Relations Commission, a quasi-judicial government agency for resolving labor and management dispute, as early as Friday, according to a Samsung Electronics labor union official.

If the agency finds a compromise unreachable, the unionized workers can move onto collective action...

The unionized workers are demanding 10 million won ($8,333) increase in salary for all employees plus 25 percent of operating income as incentive pay.

The management had insisted on keeping the salary increase rate the same at 7.5 percent salary as agreed in March last year.

But the company recently changed its position to offer improvement in employee benefit packages. It will also pay up to 300 percent of base salary as a special incentive to employees at the memory chip business division...