Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing action against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea, as reported.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday. NSEU workers initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a prior walkout failed to achieve the improvements their members are advocating for.
While the union represents more than 30,000 employees, it is unclear how many are actively participating in the indefinite strike. Nevertheless, this strike has become the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s projection of a more than 1,450% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue, largely driven by an AI boom, and a reported tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU contends that workers have not seen corresponding increases in pay amidst these record profits.
Many participants in the strike are from Samsung’s foundry, which manufactures some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being resistant to unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, commented that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower the broader labor movement across South Korea.