Samsung employees demanding improved working conditions and higher wages organized a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their strike against the company, which has now entered its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally and marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday.
The NSEU had declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout failed to achieve the desired workplace advancements.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains uncertain how many have joined the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this action is recognized as the largest strike in the history of the technology giant.
Despite Samsung’s projections of over a 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year due to an AI-driven surge, as well as a tenfold rise in profits during the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU claims that workers have not experienced corresponding pay increases amid these record returns.
A substantial number of strikers are employed in Samsung’s foundries, where they manufacture some of the world’s most sophisticated computer chips.
Experts highlight that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, noted that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower the broader labor movement across South Korea.