Samsung Biologics Union: "Last-Ditch Talks on Nov. 3... Strike if They Fail"

"Resume Strikes Sequentially if Talks Break Down"

Samsung Biologics and its labor union will resume negotiations on November 3. The union has characterized the talks as a “last-ditch negotiation,” effectively its final chance to reach an agreement, and decided to launch a strike immediately if they fail.

The Samsung Biologics Mutual Growth Labor Union is holding a rally in front of Samsung Biologics' headquarters in Songdo, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, calling on management to present a bargaining proposal. Samsung Bio Mutual Growth Labor Union

The Samsung Biologics Win-Win Labor Union said it set November 3 as the date for the next round of negotiations during preliminary talks with management on October 28. The two sides agreed to keep their schedules clear for the entire week in case the negotiations are extended.

The union said, “We clearly told management to come to the talks understanding that if they break down again next week, there will be no further dialogue,” adding, “Management said it would report the matter to executives before making a decision.”

The negotiations are resuming after a court issued a decision in an appeal over an injunction prohibiting industrial action. On October 16, the Seoul High Court’s Incheon Division, Civil Division 1, ruled in the appeal filed by management that workers must maintain normal operating levels during a strike in nine production processes, including flask cultivation, bioreactor cultivation, harvesting, media manufacturing and supply, and chromatography. The ruling reversed an April decision by the court of first instance, which had restricted industrial action only in the final three processes.

The union had initially planned to launch its second general strike on October 26, but temporarily suspended the action after the court’s ruling disrupted its plans and called on management to resume negotiations. At a press conference on October 26, the union said, “Requiring major production processes at a private company to operate at normal levels effectively nullifies the right to strike,” and called on management to “present a bargaining proposal that addresses unfair personnel practices and provides compensation commensurate with workers’ contributions.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.