Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing action 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 followed initial wage negotiations that took place between the union and Samsung on Friday.
The NSEU had declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not lead to the workplace improvements that members sought. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are currently on indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this is considered the largest strike in the history of the technology giant.
Despite Samsung’s projections of a more than 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue attributed to a boom in artificial intelligence and a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen corresponding wage increases.
Many of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they manufacture some of the most advanced computer chips globally. Additionally, experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being adversarial towards unions and has limited experience in negotiating with its workforce.
“If Samsung workers succeed in this endeavor, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor,” stated Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.