Employees of Samsung are continuing their strike for improved working conditions and higher wages, holding a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their protest.
Around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This protest follows initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place last Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU had previously declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a prior walkout failed to achieve the desired workplace improvements for its members. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the current indefinite strike is unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted as the largest in the technology giant’s history.
Despite Samsung Electronics projecting a staggering 1,450% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue due to a surge in AI, as well as reporting a tenfold increase in profits during the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU claims workers have not seen corresponding pay increases with these record financial gains.
Many of those participating in the strike are employed in Samsung’s foundry, a facility known for producing some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, according to AFP.
Experts assert that Samsung has a history of being resistant to unionization and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. Professor Vladimir Tikhonov, a Korean studies expert at the University of Oslo, mentioned that if Samsung workers are successful in their efforts, it could significantly empower the labor movement across South Korea.