Korean Media: Court Restricts Samsung Strike Methods… "Maintain Daily Operational Levels"

¬ Court cites most of the "Interim Injunction Against Illegal Labor Dispute Actions by Samsung Union" … "Must Ensure Manpower, Operating Scale, etc."

On the 18th, South Korea's court granted a majority of the interim injunction request filed by Samsung Electronics against union-led illegal dispute actions. The court ruled that during the period of dispute activities, the union must still comply with daily operational standards regarding manpower levels, working hours, and production scale.

On that day, the Suwon District Court Civil Panel 31 (Presiding Judge Shin Woo-jung) delivered its ruling on Samsung Electronics' application for an interim injunction to prohibit illegal labor dispute actions brought against the Samsung Electronics Branch of the Mega-Enterprise Union and the National Samsung Electronics Union.

The court stated: "During the dispute period, the debtor (the union side) must maintain and operate safety protection facilities at the level of normal (weekday or weekend/holiday) manpower, operating hours, production scale, and diligence obligations, without shutting down or abolishing them, nor directing union members to carry out such actions."

The court further emphasized: "Work must be carried out according to the daily levels of manpower, operating hours, production scale, and diligence obligations prior to the dispute, to prevent damage to production facilities and wafer deterioration; no obstruction or incitement of union members to perform such acts is permitted."

In addition, the court prohibited the mega-enterprise union and Choi Seung-ho from occupying all or part of facilities, locking facilities, or obstructing workers’ access to the premises.

The court also mandated: "A daily penalty of 100 million KRW (approximately RMB 450,000) shall be imposed on the union, and 10 million KRW (approximately RMB 45,330) on the branch leader," as a guarantee for compliance with the above requirements.

On the 16th, Samsung Electronics submitted an application for an interim injunction, demanding that both unions ensure the normal operation of safety protection facilities and security operations, and prohibiting facility occupations and similar actions.

The court largely accepted Samsung Electronics’ arguments. As a result, the union will no longer be able to conduct strikes through the occupation of key facilities. Previously, the union had announced plans for a large-scale general strike lasting 18 days—from June 21 to June 7—expected to involve approximately 50,000 participants.

That morning, at the Central Labor Committee in the Government’s Cheongwadae office complex in Sejong City, Samsung Electronics’ labor and management sides held negotiations over performance-related disputes under government arbitration.

The union demanded the removal of the "50% annual salary cap" on performance bonuses and the formalization of a plan to allocate funds equivalent to 15% of operating profits toward performance pay. Samsung’s position remains unchanged: it will not accept institutionalizing the abolition of the performance bonus cap.

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Original Article: toutiao.com/article/1865507495941323/

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