Samsung Display 2nd Round of Labor-Management Negotiations Held at Yeouido Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Hall

Scheduled to Continue Basic Agreement Discussions on the 3rd
Tension Over Meeting Venue... Headquarters Hosting Falls Through

Kim Man-jae, Chairman of the Metal Workers' Union, is delivering an encouragement speech at the press conference for the launch of the Samsung Display Labor Union held on the 20th at the Korea Federation of Trade Unions conference room in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Samsung Display, an electronics affiliate of Samsung Group, and its labor union have tentatively agreed to hold the 2nd round of wage and collective bargaining on the 3rd at the Korea Federation of Trade Unions (KCTU) building in Yeouido.

According to the resumption on the 1st, Samsung Display and the labor union agreed on the location for the 2nd wage and collective bargaining and plan to discuss basic agreement matters such as providing union office space, guaranteeing full-time union officials, labor-management compliance related to negotiations, and attendance management of negotiation committee members.

The decision to hold the 2nd wage and collective bargaining at the KCTU building was explained as a precautionary measure in preparation for any emergencies such as factory operations amid the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

However, some inside the company interpret that both the management and the union are engaged in a standoff over whether to conduct the wage and collective bargaining at Samsung Display’s headquarters.

The union demands to conduct negotiations at the headquarters to be recognized as a full counterpart by management, while the management insists on holding discussions outside the company, keeping this in mind. Some speculate that management is mindful of the 'Labor-Management Council,' which has agreed on major issues such as wages so far.

In fact, Samsung Display’s labor union held the 1st wage and collective bargaining on the 26th of last month at the Tangjeong-myeon Community Center in Asan-si, Chungnam, near the headquarters, after three rounds of practical negotiations. The union criticized holding the first meeting outside the company as a violation of 'sincere negotiation.'

The union side stated that since the 2nd wage and collective bargaining will be held at the KCTU building, they intend to reach an agreement to implement the basic agreement. A Samsung Display union official said, "We have tentatively agreed to hold the 2nd wage and collective bargaining at the KCTU building," adding, "We will do our best to ensure smooth progress, including the implementation of the basic agreement."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.