Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher pay gathered for a significant rally in South Korea on Monday as their actions enter the third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this ongoing strike is noted as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite an anticipated increase of over 1,450% in Samsung’s second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by an AI surge, and a ten-fold profit spike reported for the first three months of 2024, the NSEU highlighted that workers have not seen corresponding pay raises amidst these record earnings.
Many participants in the strike are involved in Samsung’s foundry operations, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are produced. Experts point out that Samsung has a history of being resistant to unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. According to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, the success of Samsung workers could encourage broader labor movements across South Korea.