Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their protest into its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched along the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This rally followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements for its members. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike is unclear. Nevertheless, this strike is being recognized as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s expectations of a more than 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by an AI boom, workers have not seen corresponding pay increases. The company reported a tenfold profit surge in the first three months of 2024, yet the NSEU argues that employees have not benefited from these record earnings.
Many of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which produces some of the most advanced computer chips globally, as noted by AFP.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a reputation for being adversarial towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. 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 South Korean labor movement.