Employees of Samsung have organized a substantial rally in South Korea, demanding improved working conditions and higher wages, as their strike enters its third week. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered on the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions held between the union and Samsung on Friday. The NSEU initially declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a prior walkout did not yield the workplace improvements that its members are advocating for.
While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this ongoing strike marks the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s projections of a staggering 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue compared to the previous year, fueled by a surge in AI, the NSEU claims that staff have not seen corresponding pay increases despite the company’s significant profits, which reportedly saw a tenfold rise in the first quarter of 2024. Many striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which fabricates some of the world’s most advanced computer chips.
Experts have noted that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. According to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, if Samsung employees succeed in their efforts, it could bolster labor movements across South Korea.