Employees at Samsung are continuing their strike for improved working conditions and higher wages, with a significant rally taking place on Monday in South Korea, marking the third week of their protest.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) rallied and marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions that took place between the union and Samsung on Friday.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not achieve the workplace improvements its members are seeking. While the union comprises over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is being recognized as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite a projected 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue compared to the previous year due to a surge in artificial intelligence, and a reported tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024, NSEU asserts that workers have not seen corresponding wage increases.
Many of the striking employees are engaged in Samsung’s foundry operations, which produce some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Experts comment that Samsung has a reputation for being difficult when it comes to union relations and lacks extensive experience in negotiating with its workforce.
A professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, Vladimir Tikhonov, noted that if Samsung workers successfully achieve their goals, it could strengthen labor movements across South Korea.