Workers at Samsung Electronics, seeking improved working conditions and higher wages, organized a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing strike.
Approximately 1,200 members from the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
This mobilization followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The workers declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the workplace improvements they were advocating for.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nevertheless, this strike is recorded as the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung anticipates a staggering increase of more than 1,450% in its second-quarter revenue year-over-year, buoyed by advancements in artificial intelligence. The company also reported a tenfold growth in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU has indicated that workers are not experiencing corresponding wage increases despite these record earnings.
A significant portion of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they produce some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, as noted by AFP.
Experts have pointed out that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks extensive experience in labor negotiations with its employees.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, commented that if Samsung workers are successful in their efforts, it could empower the broader labor movement in South Korea.