SEOUL, April 16 (Yonhap) — Samsung Electronics Co. has filed for a court injunction in connection with potential collective action by its labor union that could disrupt production, industry sources said Thursday.
According to the sources, the company made the legal request with the Suwon District Court earlier in the day in an apparent move to prevent the union from occupying key facilities, such as semiconductor production lines, in order to avoid significant operational losses.
Samsung Electronics has stressed that its application for a preliminary injunction is not intended to block the union’s constitutionally guaranteed right to engage in labor disputes, but to prevent actions strictly prohibited by law and avert potential operational losses, according to the sources.
Earlier, unionized workers of Samsung Electronics announced plans to stage a general strike on May 21.
The two sides had started wage talks last month but soon halted the process after failing to reach an agreement on removing a cap on performance-based bonuses.
The union has reportedly demanded the company allocate 15 percent of its operating profit to bonuses.
Samsung Electronics reported 57 trillion won (US$38.7 billion) in operating profit for the first quarter.
This undated file photo shows Samsung Electronic Co.’s logo on the company’s office building in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
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