[Edaily Reporter Choi Oh-hyun ] Amid a surge in earnings driven by the semiconductor boom, there are growing indications that the labor unions at Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix may take joint action regarding the payment of performance bonuses.

According to industry sources on the 12th, the SK Hynix Unified Labor Union Promotion Committee is reported to have recently sought advice from Samsung Electronics’ inter-company labor union.

Representatives of the Samsung Electronics inter-company union stated, “The establishment of the SK Hynix unified labor union is nearing completion, and we were contacted last week by the interim chairperson of the unified union,” adding, “Since the SK Hynix Cheongju union also received assistance from the inter-company union last year, we plan to consider issuing joint statements on major current issues as needed.”

They added, “We were informed that the company is demanding changes to terms agreed upon between labor and management over the past 10 years, and that dissatisfaction is escalating as a result,” noting, “Since no details regarding negotiations have been communicated, dissatisfaction is currently intensifying.”

Amid signs that SK Hynix is moving to establish a unified union, it appears the company has offered solidarity to the Samsung Electronics inter-company union, which has been campaigning since early this year for the payment of performance bonuses equivalent to N% of operating profit and transparent calculation procedures.

SK Hynix is currently conducting wage and collective bargaining negotiations with individual unions. During this process, it is reported that the company has proposed a plan to pay 60–70% of the performance bonus—which is typically an N% cash payment based on operating profit—in company stock, with a restriction on selling the shares for 2–4 years. It is also reported that a plan to adjust wages in the event of a loss is under consideration.

In light of this, the Unified Union Promotion Committee believes that the union’s fragmented bargaining channels make it difficult to strengthen bargaining power and is therefore pushing to establish a single bargaining unit comprising more than half of all employees. SK Hynix currently has three unions conducting separate negotiations: two full-time unions representing production workers and one union representing technical and administrative staff.

The steering committee submitted an application to establish the union to the relevant government agency on the 8th. It is expected to receive its registration certificate as early as today and officially launch. Until the formal union is established, the steering committee is operating as a task force.

However, there are predictions that even if the unified union is launched, it will be virtually impossible for it to participate in this year’s negotiations. This is because the individual unions are already in the midst of this year’s wage and collective bargaining negotiations. SK Hynix held its sixth round of negotiations with the three existing unions from the 10th until the early hours of the 11th. The unified union plans to engage in the negotiations—even if its direct participation is restricted—by observing the talks, requesting transparency on the progress, and conveying the opinions of its members.