Employees at Samsung have been striking for improved working conditions and higher wages, with a significant rally taking place 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. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung on Friday.
The NSEU initially announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. Although the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many are involved in the indefinite strike, which has become the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Samsung is anticipating a more than 1,450% rise in its second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence. Additionally, the company reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. Despite these financial successes, the NSEU contends that workers have not experienced similar increases in their pay.
A significant number of striking employees are involved in the production of cutting-edge computer chips at Samsung’s foundry. Experts highlight the company’s reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and its lack of experience in negotiating with its workforce.
If the workers succeed in their current efforts, it could inspire other labor movements across South Korea, according to Vladimir Tikhonov, a Korean studies professor at the University of Oslo.