Samsung Unions Demand 15% Operating Profit Distribution, Threaten 18-Day Strike Starting May 21

According to Monition Beating monitoring, Samsung unions are demanding that the company distribute 15% of operating profit to employees across all departments and provide a 7% salary increase. The unions have threatened an 18-day strike starting May 21 if demands are not met.

The dispute was triggered by competitor SK Hynix's announcement to allocate 10% of annual operating profit to employees over the next decade, which would average $475,000 per employee. Samsung workers currently receive approximately 45 million Korean won in year-end bonuses. Samsung management has raised its counteroffer from 10% to approximately 13% of operating profit, but the unions rejected the one-time compensation, insisting on embedding proportional profit-sharing into company policy.