Samsung employees demanding improved working conditions and higher wages gathered for a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their dispute with the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports. This rally followed initial wage negotiations held between the union and Samsung last Friday.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous attempt to secure workplace improvements did not yield satisfactory results. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the ongoing strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite projections of a substantial increase in second-quarter revenue, anticipated to surge more than 1,450% year-over-year attributed to an AI boom, and a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU has stated that workers have not seen any corresponding pay increases reflecting these record earnings.
A significant portion of the strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they produce some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Analysts indicate that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Experts suggest that if Samsung workers achieve success in their current efforts, it could inspire and empower labor movements across South Korea, according to a Korean studies professor at the University of Oslo.