Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages organized a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their protest against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally and marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions held between the union and Samsung on Friday.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the workplace improvements its members are advocating for. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is now recognized as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung anticipates a substantial increase in its second-quarter revenue, projecting a rise of more than 1,450% year-over-year, fueled by an AI surge. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, NSEU has pointed out that employees are not benefiting from these record profits through wage increases.
Many of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundries, which manufacture some of the world’s most sophisticated computer chips.
Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly toward unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its employees. If workers at Samsung succeed in their efforts, this could potentially empower labor movements throughout South Korea, according to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.