Samsung employees protesting for improved working conditions and higher wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing strike 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, according to reports. This demonstration follows preliminary wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that occurred on Friday.
NSEU workers declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not lead to the desired workplace improvements for union members. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many are actively participating in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this current strike has become the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung anticipating a more than 1,450% year-over-year revenue increase for the second quarter, fueled by the AI boom, and reporting a tenfold profit surge in the early months of 2024, the NSEU argues that workers are not receiving corresponding pay raises amid these record financial results.
Many striking employees are involved in Samsung’s foundry, where they manufacture some of the world’s leading advanced computer chips.
Experts highlight that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks substantial experience in negotiating with its employees. University of Oslo professor Vladimir Tikhonov noted that if Samsung employees achieve their goals through this strike, it could strengthen labor movements throughout South Korea.