Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and increased wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their strike that has entered its third week.
Around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, which took place on the Giheung campus in Yongin. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that occurred on Friday.
The workers initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout failed to achieve the necessary workplace improvements they sought. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the precise number actively participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s anticipated rise in second-quarter revenue, which is expected to increase over 1,450% year-over-year due to a surge in AI development, NSEU claims that employees have not benefited from corresponding wage increases despite the company’s record profits reported in the first quarter of 2024. Many striking workers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, where they produce some of the world’s most advanced computer chips.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a reputation for being resistant to unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. A Korean studies professor from the University of Oslo, Vladimir Tikhonov, remarked that if Samsung workers are successful in their endeavors, it could enhance the power of labor movements across South Korea.