Samsung Electronics proposes unconditional talks with union; strike plan holds


FILE PHOTO: Samsung Electronics’ labour union members chant slogans during a protest against company’s compensation levels ahead of a planned lengthy strike in front of Samsung Electronics semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, April 23, 2026. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo

SEOUL, May 15 (Reuters) - ⁠Samsung Electronics' South Korean labour union said ⁠on Friday the tech company had ‌proposed resuming talks without conditions, days after government-mediated negotiations over pay and bonus schemes collapsed.

The union said it was ​willing to hold talks after ⁠June 7, while ⁠maintaining plans for a strike from May 21 that ⁠could ‌disrupt production at the world's biggest memory chipmaker.

Samsung Electronics shared a statement ⁠confirming its offer of unconditional talks, ​though it ‌did not immediately provide further comment.

Samsung's union said ⁠on ​Thursday it would sit down for talks if the company presented a detailed proposal addressing the ⁠union's demands by 0100 GMT ​on Friday.

South Korean government officials, including the prime minister and finance minister, have voiced concerns that ⁠a strike at Samsung should be avoided at all costs, warning it could pose significant risks to economic growth, exports and markets.

Shares of Samsung ​Electronics were trading down 2% ⁠in morning trade after the company's proposal for ​unconditional talks, compared with ‌a 1.1% decline in the ​benchmark KOSPI.

(Reporting by Heekyong Yang, Hyunjoo Jin and Kyu-seok ShimEditing by Ed Davies)

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