SEOUL — SK Hynix and representatives of one of its South Korean unions are holding a fifth round of talks on bonuses at the chipmaker’s factory complex in Cheongju city on Tuesday.
The two sides are at odds over SK Hynix’s lucrative bonus scheme. Last year, SK Hynix agreed to share 10 percent of its annual operating profit with workers. In 2026, that could translate into an average payout of 779 million won ($547,127) per worker, according to Reuters calculations.Management has proposed paying more than half of bonuses in shares and restricting their sale for a certain period, the union said in a note to members. The company also wants to adjust bonus payments when it posts losses, according to the note, which was reviewed by Reuters.The union said it “would absolutely not accept any arrangement in which union members bear the risk of stock-price fluctuations.”It said that if the company failed to present a “concrete and forward-looking revised proposal” at Tuesday’s talks, resolving the matter through dialogue alone would be difficult, and it would “take necessary action.”SK Hynix shares have jumped more than 130 percent this year, but have lost nearly half their value since hitting record highs in June.
