Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, as their strike against the company enters its third week. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin.
The demonstration followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday. The NSEU had previously announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after earlier efforts to secure workplace improvements did not succeed.
While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nevertheless, this ongoing strike marks the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite reporting a staggering 1,450% increase in expected second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by a surge in artificial intelligence, and a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU claims that employees have not experienced corresponding increases in their pay.
Many strikers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, where they manufacture some of the most advanced computer chips globally. Analysts note that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiations with its workers.
Experts believe that if Samsung employees achieve their goals in this strike, it could significantly empower labor movements throughout South Korea, according to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.