Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages staged a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their strike into its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the protest at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the desired workplace benefits for its members. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains uncertain how many are actively participating in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this ongoing protest is now recognized as the largest in the history of the tech giant.
Despite expecting a more than 1,450% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue due to a surge in artificial intelligence, Samsung reported a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that workers are not experiencing corresponding pay increases in spite of the company’s record earnings.
Many of the striking workers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, which produces some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Experts highlight that Samsung has a reputation for being adversarial toward unions and lacks substantial experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, noted that a successful outcome for Samsung workers could empower labor movements throughout South Korea.