Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher salaries staged a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing strike against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) took to the streets at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation talks between the union and Samsung that occurred on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung anticipates a staggering 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by a boom in artificial intelligence. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, NSEU has highlighted that employees have not seen corresponding increases in pay despite these record profits.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured, as noted by AFP.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a history of being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, stated that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower workers across South Korea’s labor sector.