Samsung employees are currently in their third week of striking for improved working conditions and better pay, culminating in a significant rally in South Korea on Monday. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place last Friday. The NSEU had declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after previous walkouts did not yield the desired workplace improvements. While the union claims to represent over 30,000 employees, the exact number of those participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nevertheless, this strike stands out as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s projected second-quarter revenue surge of over 1,450% year-over-year, driven by an AI boom, and a tenfold increase in profits in the first quarter of 2024, workers have expressed concerns about not receiving corresponding pay raises. Many striking employees are involved in Samsung’s foundry, where some of the most advanced computer chips are manufactured.
Experts note that Samsung has a history of being resistant to unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. A professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo remarked that a successful outcome for Samsung workers could empower labor movements across South Korea.