[Breaking News] Blue House: “The government’s official position is to review response plans including emergency mediation to Samsung Electronics union strike”

Regarding the possibility of a general strike by the Samsung Electronics union, the Blue House said, “The government’s official position is to review response plans, including emergency adjustments.”

Regarding Prime Minister Kim Min-seok’s mention of emergency adjustment rights at a briefing on the 17th, Blue House Chief Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jeong said, “What the Prime Minister said is the government’s official position.”

Previously, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said in a public address that day, “If a situation arises where there are concerns of significant damage to the national economy due to a strike, we have no choice but to seek all possible response measures, including emergency adjustments.”

Chief Spokesperson Kang said, “The damage and ripple effects from the Samsung Electronics strike are expected to be very significant,” and “I hope labor and management will find a solution through dialogue.”

He then emphasized, “As post-conciliation has resumed, there is still time for dialogue,” adding, “The government and the Blue House will spare no effort in providing all support to help labor and management resolve the conflict without it leading to a strike.”

Meanwhile, the Samsung Electronics union will again sit at the labor-management-government negotiation table ahead of the largest general strike since the company’s founding, which was announced for 18 days from the 21st.

The union, which has decided to go ahead with the strike if there is no change in the company’s forward-looking position on the demand for ‘payment of 15% performance bonus for operating profits and abolition of the cap’, is responding to the appeal of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and the government that ‘a strike is not enough’ and the replacement of the company’s representative negotiator.

Meanwhile, some say that if the union goes on strike, it is expected that there will be enormous direct and indirect damage not only to Samsung Electronics but also to the people and the national economy, so it is necessary to invoke the government’s emergency mediation authority.

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