Samsung Strikes Back: Workers Rally for Wages and Rights

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Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages organized a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their strike into its third week.

Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This protest followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place last Friday, according to Bloomberg.

The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements. Although the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains uncertain how many are participating in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this current strike is already recognized as the largest in the history of the tech giant.

Samsung anticipates that its second-quarter revenue will soar by more than 1,450% year-over-year, driven by a surge in AI-related business. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU has highlighted that workers are not experiencing corresponding wage increases despite these record earnings.

Many of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, known for producing some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, as noted by AFP.

Experts indicate 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, remarked that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower the broader labor movement in South Korea.

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