Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages staged a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their protest against the company into its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in a march at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by various agencies. This rally took place following initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung last Friday.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements. Although the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many are actively participating in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this action is being recognized as the largest strike in the history of the technology giant.
Despite recent financial successes, with Samsung projecting a more than 1,450% year-over-year revenue increase for the second quarter and a tenfold profit surge in the first quarter of 2024 due to a boom in artificial intelligence, the NSEU has indicated that employees have not seen corresponding pay increases amidst these record earnings.
Many strike participants are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced semiconductor chips are manufactured. Experts highlight that Samsung has a reputation for being hostile towards unions and generally lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Academic expert Vladimir Tikhonov noted that if the efforts of Samsung workers are successful, it could serve to empower labor movements across South Korea.