Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages organized a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their protest against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU first announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout failed to secure the workplace improvements its members are advocating for. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains uncertain how many are participating in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this ongoing strike is recorded as the largest in the company’s history.
Despite Samsung Electronics projecting a staggering 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year attributed to an AI boom and a tenfold surge in profits during the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen corresponding pay increases despite these record profits.
Many of the striking workers are from Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured. Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being resistant to unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, remarked that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower the broader labor movement across South Korea.