Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and enhanced pay held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday as their strike enters its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports.
This demonstration follows initial wage negotiations held between the union and Samsung last Friday.
The NSEU workers initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not achieve the workplace improvements its members were seeking.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains uncertain. Nonetheless, this current strike is the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite predicting a remarkable increase of over 1,450% in second-quarter revenue, largely attributed to advancements in artificial intelligence, Samsung has reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU has stated that workers have not benefited from corresponding pay raises despite the company’s significant financial success.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured.
Experts note that Samsung has historically exhibited a confrontational stance towards unions and lacks extensive experience in negotiating with its workforce.
According to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, the success of Samsung workers in their current efforts could inspire and strengthen labor movements across South Korea.