Around 1,200 employees from the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered for a significant rally at the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea, as their strike for improved working conditions and higher wages entered its third week. The workers demonstrated following initial wage negotiations with Samsung that took place last Friday.
The NSEU had declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after earlier efforts to secure workplace improvements did not yield results. While the union represents over 30,000 staff members, the specific number participating in the ongoing indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is recorded as the largest in the company’s history.
Despite Samsung Electronics anticipating a remarkable increase of more than 1,450% in second-quarter revenue due to a surge in AI-driven demand, and a tenfold profit rise for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU contends that workers have not experienced corresponding wage increases amid these financial gains.
Many of the striking workers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, which produces highly advanced computer chips. Experts have noted that Samsung has a challenging history with unions and lacks significant experience in negotiating with its employees.
An academic in Korean studies at the University of Oslo, Vladimir Tikhonov, remarked that if the workers successfully achieve their goals, it could significantly empower labor movements across South Korea.