Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and increased wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, as their protest against the company enters its third week.
Approximately 1,200 workers from the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the demonstration, marching along the Giheung campus in Yongin. This rally occurred following initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung on Friday.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the workplace improvements the members seek. Although the union represents over 30,000 workers, it is unclear how many are currently participating in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this strike is already marked as the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Samsung anticipates more than a 1,450% rise in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, primarily driven by a boom in artificial intelligence. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU has pointed out that workers have not seen corresponding increases in their pay despite the record profits.
Many striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which produces some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its employees.
If the workers succeed in their efforts, it could potentially empower labor movements across South Korea, according to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.