Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and increased pay organized a significant 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 rally, which took place at the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that occurred on Friday.
The NSEU workers initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the workplace improvements they are seeking.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the precise number currently on strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this ongoing strike is noted as the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung is projecting a more than 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by a boom in artificial intelligence. The company has also indicated a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen their wages rise in line with these record profits.
A significant number of strikers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, where they produce some of the world’s most advanced computer chips.
Experts have pointed out that Samsung is known for its resistance to unionization and has limited experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, indicated that if the workers at Samsung are successful in their efforts, it could have a positive ripple effect on labor movements throughout South Korea.