Photo : KBS News
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said the government would have to pursue all possible measures, including emergency arbitration, to minimize damage to the national economy if unionized workers at Samsung Electronics move forward with a general strike.
In a national address Sunday, Kim said the government welcomes the decision by labor and management to resume state-led mediation talks on Monday, urging both sides to recognize that it may be their last chance to avert a walkout.
Kim warned that a strike would not only cause losses for the company but lead to a drop in exports, instability in financial markets, difficulties for partner firms and weakened investment, with an estimated economic damage of up to 100 trillion won, or around 67 billion U.S. dollars.
He strongly urged the union to focus on reaching a deal through dialogue and compromise, and called on management to take the union’s demands seriously and seek ways to coexist.
Unionized workers have said they will launch a general strike from May 21 to June 7 unless management agrees to set bonuses at 15 percent of operating profit, abolish the payout cap and standardize the bonus system.