The Samsung strike is happening. Tomorrow, May 21, 47,000+ workers will walk off the job after talks collapsed today when Samsung rejected a mediation proposal from South Korea's National Labor Relations Commission.

The union accepted the mediation proposal. Samsung said no.

According to CNBC reporting from Seoul, union spokesperson Choi Seung-ho said Samsung initially requested more time to consider the proposal, then at 11am local time said "no decision has been made," leading to the impasse that triggered tomorrow's strike.

Samsung's official response: "Accepting the labor union's excessive demands as they are could undermine the fundamental principles of company management." The company also said it "will not give up on dialogue until the last moment" and insisted "there must be no strikes under any circumstances."

What the union wants: 15% of Samsung's operating profit distributed to workers, removal of bonus caps, and a formalized bonus structure. What Samsung is offering: apparently not enough to avoid a massive production shutdown.

The market noticed. Samsung shares dropped 3% on the news.

This has been building for weeks. In April, Samsung's chairman bowed in apology to investors. Earlier this month, a Seoul court granted partial injunctions to limit strike impact on safety-critical facilities. Last week, the company had 7,087 workers locked inside fabrication plants during preliminary action.

Tomorrow is Day 1 of the actual strike. Samsung has notified the union of essential staffing levels that must be maintained during the work stoppage, but 47,000 workers represent significant production capacity across Samsung's semiconductor and electronics operations.

The stakes: Samsung is not just a Korean company. It's a critical link in the global semiconductor supply chain. A prolonged strike could ripple through consumer electronics, automotive, and data center markets worldwide.

Samsung said dialogue isn't over. The union says tomorrow's strike is confirmed. We'll see who blinks first.