Employees of Samsung Electronics staged a large rally in South Korea on Monday, as their strike for improved working conditions and higher wages entered its third week. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the demonstration at the Giheung campus in Yongin.
The rally followed initial wage negotiation discussions held between the union and the company last Friday. The NSEU had declared an indefinite strike on July 8, after a previous walkout did not yield the workplace improvements its members sought.
While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number of those on indefinite strike remains unclear; however, this strike is noted as the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Samsung has anticipated a significant increase in its second-quarter revenue, projecting a rise of more than 1,450% year-on-year driven by growth in AI. Additionally, the company reported a tenfold profit increase for the first three months of 2024. Yet, the NSEU argues that employees are not benefiting from these record earnings through higher wages.
Many striking workers are employed in Samsung’s foundries, which produce some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Experts highlight that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Professor Vladimir Tikhonov, a Korean studies expert at the University of Oslo, noted that if Samsung workers are successful in their efforts, it could empower labor movements across South Korea.