Employees at Samsung are currently on strike, demanding improved working conditions and higher wages, with a large rally held in South Korea on Monday as their protest enters its third week.
Around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place last Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous work stoppage failed to yield the improvements its members sought. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the ongoing strike is uncertain. Nonetheless, this strike is noted as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s expectations for more than a 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue, significantly bolstered by advancements in artificial intelligence, and a tenfold profit surge in the first quarter of 2024, NSEU claims that employees have not seen corresponding wage increases amidst these record profits.
The striking workers include those employed at Samsung’s foundry, a facility known for producing some of the world’s most advanced computer chips.
Experts point out that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards labor unions and has limited experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, noted that if Samsung workers are successful in their efforts, it could strengthen labor movements across South Korea.