Samsung union approves confidence vote for chairman after wage deal backlash

Samsung Electronics' largest labor union said Tuesday that its members approved a confidence vote in Chairman Choi Seung-ho, reaffirming support for the union leader despite criticism over a recently concluded wage agreement with management. The motion passed with 87.5 percent support among participating members after recording a 70.8-percent voter turnout, the union said. Under union rules, the motion required approval from more than half of the members who voted. In a statement, Choi said the union would pursue separate bargaining for Samsung's device solution (DS) division, which oversees the company's lucrative semiconductor business, by utilizing Korea's labor law provisions that allow bargaining-unit separation. "Even if the separation is not approved, we will seek better results for the DS division through independent negotiations by the industrial union," Choi said. Under the wage agreement reached in May, Samsung will provide a special semiconductor performance bonus equivalent to 10.5 percent of business performance earnings. The bonuses will be paid in company stock over a perWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times