Samsung employees demanding improved working conditions and higher wages organized a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, as their strike against the company enters its third week.
Around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) demonstrated and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported. This demonstration follows initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung on Friday.
The NSEU workers initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a prior walkout did not yield the workplace improvements they sought. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted to be the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung anticipates a staggering increase of more than 1,450% in its second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by a surge in AI technology. Additionally, the company reported a tenfold increase in profits during the first quarter of 2024. However, union leaders contend that employees have not seen corresponding raises despite these record earnings.
Many participants in the strike are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where highly advanced computer chips are manufactured. Experts also highlight that Samsung has a challenging relationship with unions and lacks extensive experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Professor Vladimir Tikhonov, an expert in Korean studies at the University of Oslo, remarked that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could bolster the labor movement across South Korea.