Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and increased pay held a large rally in South Korea on Monday, as their protest enters its third week.
Around 1,200 workers from the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in a march at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This demonstration followed the initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the specific number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. However, it is noted that this strike is the most significant in the company’s history.
Samsung anticipates a more than 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by a surge in artificial intelligence demand. The company also reported a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024. Despite these record earnings, NSEU representatives argue that employees are not seeing corresponding pay increases.
Many of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which produces some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Experts observe that Samsung has a history of being resistant to union activities and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Professor Vladimir Tikhonov, a Korean studies expert at the University of Oslo, noted that if Samsung employees succeed in their efforts, it could bolster labor movements across South Korea.