Employees of Samsung Electronics engaged in a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing strike for improved working conditions and higher wages.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the demonstration, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This event followed recent wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The union initially called for an indefinite strike on July 8, prompted by unsuccessful attempts to secure better workplace conditions for its members. While the NSEU represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. However, this strike is noted as the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Despite Samsung’s anticipation of a more than 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year driven by a surge in artificial intelligence, and a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU asserts that workers have not benefitted from these financial successes in terms of pay increases.
Many striking employees are engaged in operations at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured. Experts point out that Samsung has a reputation for being resistant to union activities and has limited experience in negotiating with its workforce.
According to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could inspire and empower the broader labor movement across South Korea.