Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages participated in a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their action into the third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions that took place on Friday between the union and Samsung.
The NSEU had declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements for its members.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number of those participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung projecting a staggering increase of more than 1,450% in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven in part by advancements in AI technology, along with a tenfold rise in profits in the first three months of 2024, the NSEU argues that workers have not seen corresponding pay increases.
A significant number of strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which produces some of the world’s most advanced computer chips.
Experts have noted that Samsung is often resistant to union activities and lacks a track record in negotiating with its workforce.
A professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, Vladimir Tikhonov, emphasized that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could inspire other labor movements throughout South Korea.