The approval vote rate for the 2026 wage and collective bargaining tentative agreement by the super-firm union, the largest union in the Samsung Group, surpassed 86% two days before the deadline. As a result, expectations are growing that the agreement could pass. However, given the large gap in bonuses between the semiconductor (DS) and device experience (DX) units and between the memory and non-memory divisions, a fairness debate is expected to continue.
According to the super-firm union at Samsung Electronics, as of 8:29 a.m. on the 25th, turnout in the approval vote on the tentative wage and collective agreement stood at 86.16%. Of the 57,291 eligible voters, 49,363 had already cast ballots.
Since electronic voting via mobile and other channels began at 2 p.m. on the 22nd, turnout has risen sharply. About 3 hours and 30 minutes after voting opened, it reached a majority of 57.4%, and on the afternoon of the 23rd, it topped 80%. Then, on the morning of the day two days before the deadline, it surpassed 86%, with union member participation remaining strong.
This vote is the final step to decide whether to accept the tentative wage and collective agreement reached by labor and management. The core of the agreement is to use 10.5% of the business performance of the DS unit as a special management performance bonus fund and pay it in the form of treasury shares.
The industry sees a strong chance that DS unit members, who account for about 80% of all union members, will drive the agreement's passage. In particular, for some employees in the memory division, the possibility of a bonus of up to 600 million won based on an annual salary of 100 million won has been mentioned, which analysts say also helped boost participation in the vote.
However, dissatisfaction stemming from bonus gaps between divisions is not insignificant. Even within DS, the system LSI and foundry divisions, which are non-memory and have remained in the red, are expected to receive around 160 million won, about a quarter of the memory division's level.
Bonuses for employees in the DX unit in charge of home appliances and mobile are reportedly limited to company shares worth about 6 million won, roughly one-hundredth of the memory division's level. Accordingly, observers say that even if the tentative agreement is finally approved, an internal debate over compensation fairness between divisions is likely to continue.
Meanwhile, the vote will be finalized if a majority of eligible voters participate and a majority of those who vote approve. Voting ends at 10 a.m. on the 27th.