Samsung strike prevention now down to a virtual last chance as second post-arbitration mediation begins

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[Financial News] The second post-arbitration mediation meeting by the National Labor Relations Commission, or Central Labor Commission, to mediate wage negotiations between Samsung Electronics labor and management has begun.
Choi Seung-ho, chair of the Samsung Electronics Joint Struggle Headquarters of Labor Unions, told reporters on the morning of the 18th as he arrived at the meeting in Sejong City at the Central Labor Commission, "We have come this far to post-arbitration mediation. We will also approach this second post-arbitration mediation in good faith."
When asked about President Lee Jae-myung's remark earlier in the day that "corporate management rights should be respected as much as labor rights," he gave no answer. Yeo Myeong-gu, head of the DS People Team and a management negotiator who arrived earlier, and Vice President Kim Hyung-ro also remained silent as they entered the meeting room.
Park Soo-geun, chairperson of the Central Labor Relations Commission who is serving as mediator for the second post-arbitration session, said, "I have no mouth. See you later," before going inside.
Samsung Electronics labor and management failed to narrow their differences in the previous post-arbitration process and declared negotiations broken down. However, after accepting a request from Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon, they entered the second post-arbitration mediation session starting that day. Kim had met with the Samsung Electronics union leadership last week and also held talks with Samsung executives, taking a direct role in mediation.
Still, the two sides held a preparatory meeting over the weekend to get ready for this mediation session, but they remain at odds over transparency in performance bonuses, the abolition of caps, and institutionalization. No deadline has been set for the end of the second post-arbitration mediation.
With only three days left until the union's planned strike date on the 21st, this mediation is seen as the last realistic chance to decide whether a strike will go ahead.
one1@fnnews.com Jung Won-il Reporter