Employees of Samsung Electronics, seeking improved working conditions and higher wages, staged a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing strike action.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the event, which took place on the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports. This mobilization followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung on Friday.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike beginning July 8 after earlier attempts to secure workplace improvements did not yield results. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are actively participating in the indefinite strike; nonetheless, this strike is noted as the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung anticipates a remarkable increase of over 1,450% in its second-quarter revenue, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, and has reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU contends that workers have not shared in this financial success through pay raises.
Many strikers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, which manufactures some of the world’s most sophisticated computer chips. Experts highlight the company’s historical resistance to unions and lack of experience in negotiations with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, expressed that if Samsung workers achieve their goals, it could empower the labor movement across South Korea.