Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages organized a significant 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 event, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This rally followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a prior walkout did not achieve the workplace improvements demanded by its members. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike is unclear. Nevertheless, this ongoing strike is the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s projected revenue increase of more than 1,450% year-over-year due to the AI boom and a tenfold profit rise in the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU asserts that workers are not experiencing corresponding wage increases.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they produce some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, according to AFP. Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being hostile toward unions and has limited experience in negotiating with its own workforce.
Should Samsung workers achieve their objectives, it could significantly bolster labor rights across South Korea, as highlighted by Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.