Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and increased wages organized a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing strike against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This rally followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung held on Friday, as noted by Bloomberg.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the workplace improvements its members are seeking. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are participating in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this action is recorded as the largest strike in the history of the technology giant.
Despite Samsung anticipating a year-over-year revenue increase of more than 1,450% in the second quarter due to a surge in AI demand, with a tenfold rise in profits reported for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU asserts that employees are not receiving corresponding pay raises in light of these record earnings.
Many strike participants are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured, according to AFP.
Experts also highlight that Samsung has a history of being unfriendly towards unions and lacks substantial experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, remarked that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower the broader South Korean labor movement.