SK hynix reaches tentative 2026 wage deal with unions, adjusting bonus structure

Labor and management of SK hynix have reached a tentative agreement on 2026 wages, under which 60 percent of performance bonuses will be paid in treasury shares, according to industry officials Thursday. SK hynix’s labor and management drew significant attention across the Korean industry last year when they agreed to use 10 percent of the company’s operating profit as a funding pool for performance bonuses and maintain the system for 10 years. Tensions escalated recently, however, after management proposed paying part of the bonuses in shares instead of entirely in cash, prompting the unions to threaten collective action. With the tentative agreement, the chipmaker has avoided immediate disruptions such as a general strike, but the risks of conflict remain because employees, dissatisfied with the decision, are moving to form a new union. SK hynix’s unions held delegate meetings on Thursday afternoon and informed union members that the tentative agreement calls for 60 percent of performance bonuses to be paid in treasury shares and the remaining 40 percent in cash. Of the portion p

SK Hynix Inc. and its labor union have reached a tentative wage and collective bargaining agreement, featuring a 6.3% salary increase and a significant shift in how employee performance bonuses are apportioned, according to Yonhap News.