Samsung Electronics’ chief negotiator Yeo Myung-koo (left) and Samsung Electronics Labor Union leader Choi Seung-ho pose for a photo after signing a tentative wage agreement at the Employment and Labor's Gyeonggi regional office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Wednesday. (Yonhap) Samsung Electronics labor unions on Wednesday called off a planned strike just over an hour before it was set to begin, paving the way for a membership vote on a tentative wage agreement with management.The joint strike committee representing the unions said the planned walkout from Thursday through June 7 would be suspended “until further notice.” Union members will vote on the proposed 2026 wage deal from 9 a.m. Saturday through 10 p.m. May 28.The breakthrough followed post-mediation talks at the National Labor Relations Commission and additional government efforts to prevent negotiations from collapsing.Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon welcomed the tentative agreement, saying he was “truly grateful” that management and labor had reached a deal through negotiations.The two sides had been locked in tense last-minute talks over the company’s performance-based bonus system and the distribution of special incentive funds.Samsung later confirmed that management and labor had reached a tentative agreement on wages and collective bargaining. The company thanked the government, employees and other stakeholders for helping conclude the negotiations, apologized for causing concern, and pledged to build a “more mature and constructive labor-management relationship.”The decision eased immediate fears of disruptions to Samsung’s chip production. As a key player in the global memory-chip market, any prolonged strike at Samsung is closely watched across the semiconductor industry.Still, the risk of labor action has not disappeared. If union members reject the tentative deal, strike plans could quickly return to the table.