Samsung employees demanding improved working conditions and higher wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, as their protest enters its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday.
The NSEU launched an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout failed to achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many are participating in the indefinite strike, which is now the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s projections for a staggering 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year driven by an AI surge, the NSEU claims that employees are not benefiting from these record profits. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first three months of 2024.
Many participants in the strike work in Samsung’s foundries, where they produce some of the most advanced computer chips globally. Industry experts note that Samsung has a history of being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, commented that if Samsung workers are successful in their efforts, it could bolster labor rights across South Korea.