Samsung Electronics’ union announced on Friday that it will enter a mediation process with the company on May 11 and 12. This comes amidst a wage dispute that has threatened to turn into a full-blown strike at the tech giant.
The union stated that if they are not happy with the outcome of the mediation, they are ready to go ahead with a planned general strike. Unions at the chipmaking giant have been taking action to try and get a bigger bonus. They have threatened to strike for 18 days starting from May 21.
Negotiators from the union, company management, and the government met on Friday. Labor Ministry officials promised “full support” for the talks between the two sides, the union said. Shares of Samsung Electronics jumped 2.6% in after-hours trading in Seoul.
Samsung Electronics and the Labor Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier this week, Samsung’s board chairman urged the unionized workers to resolve their pay disputes with management. He warned that a planned strike could have “serious consequences” for the Korean economy.
