Employees of Samsung have staged a significant rally in South Korea to advocate for improved working conditions and higher salaries, marking the continuation of their strike into its third week. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
This rally 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 prior walkout did not bring the desired workplace benefits for its members. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in this indefinite strike is uncertain. Nevertheless, it is noted to be the largest strike in the company’s history.
Despite forecasting a staggering increase of over 1,450% in its second-quarter revenue year-over-year due to a surge in AI demand, Samsung reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU has emphasized that workers are not reaping the benefits of these exceptional financial results.
Many of the striking workers are employed in Samsung’s foundries, which produce some of the most advanced computer chips globally, according to AFP.
Additionally, experts highlight that Samsung has a reputation for being adversarial towards unions and lacks extensive experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Professor Vladimir Tikhonov, a specialist in Korean studies at the University of Oslo, noted that if Samsung workers achieve their goals, it could strengthen the labor movement across South Korea.