Employees at Samsung protesting for improved working conditions and higher wages held a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their strike into its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions that took place between the union and Samsung on Friday, as noted by Bloomberg.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after previous actions did not achieve the desired workplace improvements for its members. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is recognized as the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Despite Samsung’s forecast of a staggering 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, aided by a boom in artificial intelligence, and a tenfold rise in profits for the first three months of 2024, NSEU highlighted that workers have not experienced corresponding pay increases in light of the company’s record earnings.
Many striking workers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, where they manufacture some of the most advanced computer chips globally, according to AFP.
Experts point out that Samsung has a challenging history with unions and lacks substantial experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, commented that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could bolster labor movements across South Korea.