Samsung Electronics and the labour union representing its South Korean workforce plan to reconvene pay talks on Monday with the participation of a government mediator, the union said on Saturday. The move comes amid rising concern that a breakdown in negotiations could lead to a disruptive strike at the technology giant.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the union said Samsung Electronics had replaced the company’s representative for the negotiations. The two sides also agreed to hold a separate meeting later on Saturday, although the union did not provide details on the agenda for that session. Samsung Electronics declined to comment on either meeting.
The announcement followed public remarks from Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee, who made his first public comments on the labour dispute and offered an apology. "I sincerely apologise to customers around the world for causing anxiety and concern due to issues within our company," Lee said, adding that he also "deeply bows in apology to the public".
Earlier in the week, government-mediated negotiations had collapsed, heightening fears of a strike at the world’s largest memory chipmaker. That company supplies chips to major technology firms including Nvidia, AMD and Google, a customer base that has contributed to the broader concern about the potential impact of sustained industrial action.
After the breakdown in talks, the labour minister met with Samsung management on Saturday and urged the company to actively pursue a resolution through dialogue, according to the union's statement. Senior government officials, including the prime minister and the finance minister, have publicly expressed worries that a strike at Samsung should be avoided at all costs, warning it could pose significant risks to economic growth, exports and financial markets.
The union stated on Friday that it remained committed to a planned strike beginning next week, even after Samsung proposed resuming pay talks without conditions.
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