Samsung Electronics sent an official letter to the labor union on the 15th proposing to "meet again without conditions and talk." The union said it would agree to talks after the strike ends.
Samsung Electronics had told the union the previous day, "In the post-mediation process recently conducted by the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), both labor and management delivered their respective views but failed to reach an agreement. We propose that labor and management hold direct talks." The union replied to management the same day, saying, "If you want labor-management talks, please present specific plans for transparency in performance bonuses (OPI), abolition of the cap, and institutionalization." The union also said, "If the company's clear intent to talk is confirmed, we will engage in talks," and requested, "For this, have the CEO respond directly by 10 a.m. on the 15th."
The company sent a reply letter by the deadline the union set that day. In the letter, Samsung Electronics said, "In the NLRC mediation in March, the company proposed a 'transparency plan' under which the existing excess profit performance bonus (OPI) program would select its funding source from 10% of operating profit or 20% of economic value added (EVA)," and added, "Regarding the demands for institutionalization and abolition of the cap, while maintaining the existing OPI program, we proposed a more flexible institutionalization plan by additionally establishing a 'special compensation program' with no cap."
It continued, "In response to the hopes of employees, shareholders, and the public who want a settlement, we again propose to meet and talk without conditions," adding, "The company will enter discussions with an open attitude."
Choi Seung-ho, chairperson of the Samsung Group supra-enterprise labor union's Samsung Electronics chapter (supra-enterprise union), said of the company's letter, "We are willing to hold talks after June 7," adding, "We intend to exercise the rights guaranteed by the Constitution." In effect, he indicated the union would enter talks with management after the general strike.
The Samsung Electronics union has announced it will launch an 18-day general strike from the 21st through July 7, demanding that performance bonuses be funded with 15% of operating profit and that the abolition of the cap be institutionalized. In response, labor and management at Samsung Electronics held post-mediation at the NLRC in the Government Sejong Complex from the morning of the 11th until early on the 13th. The post-mediation arranged by the government broke down at the union's request to suspend. After the collapse of post-mediation, the union effectively rejected management's proposal for "direct talks" by saying it would respond after the strike. As a result, the likelihood that the Samsung Electronics union will push ahead with the general strike is increasingly certain.