Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and the South Korean government both urged unions on Thursday to resume wage negotiations, but the proposal was rejected by the union side.

Samsung Electronics sent a formal document to its two major unions, which is widely seen as a final effort to avoid a strike scheduled for next Thursday.

A two-day government-led mediation session ended on Wednesday without an agreement between labor and management. Serious disagreements remain over performance bonuses linked to the company's artificial intelligence (AI)-related earnings amid a cyclical upturn in the semiconductor industry.

The National Labor Relations Commission of South Korea also called on both sides on Thursday to hold a new round of government-mediated talks on Saturday.

However, the union reiterated that it has no intention of further dialogue unless key demands are addressed.

Choi Seung-ho, head of Samsung Electronics' largest union, stated, "If the bonus payment system is not improved and transparency is not enhanced, there is no reason to continue the dialogue."

Previously, Choi Seung-ho indicated that about 41,000 union members expressed their intention to participate in the planned 18-day general strike, adding that the number of participants could exceed 50,000.

The union demands that fixed performance bonuses for employees in Samsung Electronics' semiconductor division be equivalent to 15% of its operating profit and that the bonus cap be removed.

Meanwhile, the company's management has proposed maintaining the bonus cap while offering a one-time special compensation package for semiconductor division employees.

Driven by strong demand for AI memory, Samsung Electronics reported a record first-quarter operating profit of 57 trillion won (approximately $382 billion).