Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and increased pay gathered in large numbers in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their protest against the company.
Around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in a rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this action is the largest strike in the history of the technology giant.
Samsung is anticipating a more than 1,450% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue, largely attributed to a boom in artificial intelligence. The company also reported a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024. Despite these substantial financial gains, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen corresponding increases in their pay.
Many striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the most advanced computer chips are manufactured, as noted by AFP.
Experts highlight that Samsung has a reputation for being antagonistic towards unions and lacks experience in bargaining with its workforce. “If Samsung workers succeed in this effort, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor,” remarked Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, in an interview with AFP.