SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung speaks at an event. [Yonhap]
SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung speaks at an event. [Yonhap]

SK Hynix will begin this year's wage and collective bargaining negotiations before the end of June.

According to industry sources Tuesday, the company told employees at a town hall held Monday afternoon at its Cheongju campus that it would ensure the talks get underway this month, acknowledging that the schedule had been running behind.

The announcement came as workers had grown increasingly concerned about delays in this year's bargaining calendar.

Observers expect SK Hynix employees to bring demands broadly in line with the tentative agreement Samsung Electronics reached with its union last month — a 6.2 percent pay raise, the introduction of a special performance bonus scheme for the semiconductor division, and improvements to welfare benefits.

Because SK Hynix overhauled its performance bonus structure last year, resolving many of the major sticking points at the time, this year's talks are widely expected to center on wage increases and welfare improvements rather than broader structural issues.

SK Hynix operates under a multiple-union system. The technical and office workers' union affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the full-time workers' union at the Icheon and Cheongju factories affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions are each expected to conduct separate wage negotiations.

The event also drew remarks that appeared to reflect awareness of the labor-management tensions that have recently flared at Samsung Electronics and other domestic companies.

SK Hynix President and CEO Kwak Noh-jung said labor relations difficulties at domestic companies had become a prominent issue, urging employees to navigate internal and external challenges carefully and aim for greater growth next year.

He also warned that even as the company is performing well now, a single misstep in the AI era could spell serious trouble 10 or 15 years down the road. "This is the time to pool the wisdom and capabilities of every member of the company to prepare for our next phase of growth," he said.

SK Hynix holds quarterly town hall sessions at which the CEO listens directly to employee concerns and discusses key business matters. Monday's event was livestreamed to all of the company's domestic worksites.


husn7@heraldcorp.com