Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing protest against the company.
Around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports. This rally followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place last Friday.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a prior walkout did not result in the desired workplace improvements for its members. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is being recognized as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung Electronics anticipating a staggering 1,450% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue driven by an AI boom, along with a tenfold profit surge in the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen a corresponding increase in their pay.
Many workers on strike are employed in Samsung’s foundries, where they manufacture some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Experts note that Samsung has a history of being unfriendly to unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
According to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, if the workers succeed in their efforts, it could strengthen labor movements across South Korea.