Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a large rally in South Korea on Monday, as their protest 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, South Korea, according to reports. This protest follows initial wage negotiation talks conducted between the union and Samsung on Friday.
The NSEU workers began an indefinite strike on July 8 after earlier protests failed to result in the desired workplace improvements. Although the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are actively participating in the ongoing strike, which is now recognized as the largest in the company’s history.
Despite Samsung Electronics projecting a staggering 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, fueled by an AI boom, and a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the union claims that workers have not experienced corresponding pay increases amidst these record gains.
A significant portion of those on strike are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured. Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in worker negotiations.
Professor Vladimir Tikhonov from the University of Oslo emphasized that if Samsung’s workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower labor movements throughout South Korea.