Samsung Union Formally Suspends Strike; ~89,000 Members Begin Ratification Vote

Samsung Electronics' union formally announced the suspension of its threatened 18-day general strike following the tentative wage agreement brokered the previous day. Approximately 89,000 union members began a ratification vote on the deal — a 6.2% salary increase and 10.5% profit-linked semiconductor division bonus. Rival chipmaker SK Hynix had earlier set a precedent with a more generous scheme; the Samsung deal represents a partial concession. CNN Business reported that AI-driven demand had turned Samsung into a near-$1 trillion company, making the workers' demands for a larger profit share highly visible internationally.