Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and better pay held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, as their action enters its third week. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports.
This rally followed initial wage negotiation talks between the union and Samsung, which took place last Friday. The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the workplace improvements sought by its members.
While the union comprises over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this ongoing strike is the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung anticipates a staggering increase of over 1,450% in its second-quarter revenue year-over-year, credited to a surge in AI technology. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits during the first quarter of 2024. Despite these record earnings, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen corresponding wage increases.
Many striking employees are employed in Samsung’s foundries, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured. Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being difficult to negotiate with and is often unwelcoming to unions.
A professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, Vladimir Tikhonov, remarked that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower the broader labor movement in South Korea.