Employees at Samsung who are on strike for improved working conditions and higher wages organized a large rally in South Korea on Monday as their protest continues into its third week. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the demonstration, marching through the Giheung campus located in Yongin.
This rally followed initial wage negotiations that took place between the union and Samsung on Friday. The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not lead to the desired workplace improvements.
While the union claims to represent over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many are actively participating in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this action marks the largest strike in Samsung’s history to date.
Despite Samsung’s anticipated second-quarter revenue surge of over 1,450% year-over-year, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence, workers have reported that they have not seen corresponding increases in their pay. Reports indicate that many employees on strike are involved in the production of some of the world’s most sophisticated computer chips at Samsung’s foundry.
Experts note that Samsung has a history of being resistant to unionization, making negotiations with its workforce particularly challenging. A professor of Korean studies highlighted that if Samsung workers achieve success in their strike, it could serve as inspiration for labor movements across South Korea.