The Samsung Electronics labor union has demanded a concrete position on abolishing the company's bonus-cap ceiling by 10 a.m. on May 15 [1].

The ultimatum comes as the union threatens a total strike in approximately one week [3]. The resolution of this dispute is critical for the tech giant's operational stability, as a full-scale walkout could disrupt production and supply chains for its global electronics business.

Union representatives said that genuine dialogue is only possible if the company provides a clear stance on removing and institutionalizing the bonus-cap ceiling [1]. Without such a commitment, the union said additional talks are meaningless [1].

The demand is specifically directed at representative Jeon Young-hyun [1]. The union said Jeon must provide a definitive answer by the Friday morning deadline [1].

Parallel to these demands, the central labor commission has asked to resume mediation on May 16 [2]. This request for mediation follows a period of tension between the workforce and management over compensation structures.

Samsung Electronics has not yet publicly responded to the union's specific deadline. The union said a formal institutionalization of the bonus change is the only path forward for productive negotiations [1].

“Genuine dialogue is only possible if the company provides a clear stance on removing the bonus-cap ceiling.”

This escalation indicates a breakdown in trust between Samsung's management and its labor force. By setting a hard deadline and linking it to a potential total strike, the union is leveraging the threat of operational paralysis to force a structural change in how bonuses are calculated. The involvement of the central labor commission suggests that the dispute has moved beyond internal corporate negotiation and into a formal regulatory mediation process.