Employees of Samsung have organized a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, as their strike for improved working conditions and higher wages enters its third week. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the demonstration, which took place at the Giheung campus in Yongin.
This rally followed the initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that occurred last Friday. The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after earlier walkouts did not yield the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many are actively participating in the indefinite strike. Nevertheless, this is being described as the largest strike in the history of the technology giant.
Despite Samsung’s anticipated second-quarter revenue growth of more than 1,450% year-over-year attributed to advancements in AI, and a tenfold increase in profits during the early months of 2024, the NSEU has stated that employees have not seen corresponding increases in their wages.
Many striking workers are involved in Samsung’s foundry operations, where they manufacture some of the most advanced computer chips globally. Experts note Samsung’s historically adversarial stance toward unions, suggesting limited experience in negotiating with its workforce.
According to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, if the Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could strengthen labor movements across South Korea.