Employees of Samsung protesting for improved working conditions and higher wages staged a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their action.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung on Friday.
The NSEU workforce declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains uncertain how many are currently participating in the indefinite strike, which is noted as the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung anticipates a more than 1,450% surge in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by an increase in AI-related business, and has reported a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that workers have not benefited from these record financial returns.
Many striking employees are involved in Samsung’s foundry operations, which produce some of the world’s most advanced computer chips.
Experts indicate that Samsung has historically been resistant to union efforts and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. A professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, Vladimir Tikhonov, noted that a successful outcome for Samsung workers could empower South Korea’s labor movement overall.