Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher salaries staged a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their strike against the tech giant.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung, which occurred on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a prior walkout did not result in the desired workplace improvements for its members. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains uncertain how many are participating in the indefinite strike, which is now recognized as the most significant strike in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s forecast of a more than 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by the AI market surge, and a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024, NSEU claims that workers have not seen proportional salary increases despite these record earnings. Many striking employees are involved in the production of some of the world’s most advanced computer chips at Samsung’s foundry.
Experts point out that Samsung has a history of being antagonistic towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its employees. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, stated that if Samsung workers achieve their goals, it would strengthen the labor movement across South Korea.