SK hynix has officially launched the 'Hynix Unified Labor Union,' which encompasses both production and technical office workers. The establishment comes amid ongoing challenges in this year's wage and collective bargaining negotiations, particularly regarding the performance bonus payment system, and the emergence of an independent union is expected to shift labor-management discussions.
According to industry sources, the SK hynix Unified Labor Union received official certification from authorities on the afternoon of August 13, marking its formal inception. The union currently boasts over 2,400 members, surpassing the membership of the existing technical office workers' union.
SK hynix is currently engaged in wage and collective bargaining negotiations with three existing unions representing its full-time employees in Icheon and Cheongju, as well as technical office staff.
Recently, dissatisfaction has arisen among SK hynix employees regarding the existing unions, particularly in light of government moves to revise the performance bonus system linked to operating profits and discussions on restructuring the company's bonus framework. This has led to calls for a new union that consolidates the voices of employees across different job categories and regions.
In response, the committee for establishing the unified union submitted an application for union formation on August 8 and began recruiting members.
The unified union aims to be a 100% independent organization, not affiliated with higher-level groups such as the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions or the Federation of Korean Trade Unions. It plans to secure approximately 18,000 members from SK hynix's total workforce of about 35,000, thereby achieving a majority union status.
Currently, the existing unions have conducted six rounds of negotiations with management and have jointly issued a statement urging the company to make a prompt decision. Reports indicate that management has proposed partial changes to the performance bonus system, suggesting that some bonuses be paid in stock with restrictions on selling for a certain period.
Meanwhile, SK hynix reported record-breaking second-quarter earnings, driven by increased demand for artificial intelligence (AI) memory, with revenues reaching 79.3187 trillion won and operating profits at 60.5426 trillion won. This marks a 257% increase in revenue and a 557% increase in operating profit compared to the same period last year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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