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 ongoing protest against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This event followed initial wage negotiation discussions held between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The strike began on July 8, when union members declared an indefinite strike after prior walkouts did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the NSEU represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this current strike represents the largest in the company’s history.
Despite Samsung projecting a more than 1,450% year-over-year increase in revenue for the second quarter, driven by a surge in artificial intelligence, and a reported tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU asserts that employees have not seen corresponding increases in their pay.
A significant portion of the striking workers is employed at Samsung’s foundry, which produces some of the most advanced computer chips globally. Experts highlight that Samsung has a reputation for being resistant to unionization and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, noted that if Samsung workers are successful in their efforts, it could strengthen the labor movement across South Korea.