Seoul: Unionized workers at Samsung Electronics Co. announced on Friday that they have broken off talks with management just three days after resuming negotiations, escalating the potential for a strike in May.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Choi Seung-ho, leader of the Samsung Electronics unit at the Samsung Group United Union (SGUU), stated that the decision was made due to management's perceived lack of sincerity. "Citing management's lack of sincerity, we have decided to break off negotiations and seek a ruling from a local labor arbitration commission," Choi said in a statement.

The negotiations failed to reach an agreement on the removal of a cap on performance-based bonuses, a key issue for the unionized workers. Talks resumed on Tuesday involving three labor unions, including the SGUU and the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU).

The unionized workforce has been advocating for the removal of the bonus cap, a 7 percent wage increase, and enhanced transparency in the calculation of performance-based bonuses. Last week, a vote revealed that 93.1 percent of the union members were in favor of striking in May. Collectively, the three unions represent approximately 90,000 members.