Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages gathered for a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their strike into a third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the protest, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung, which took place on Friday.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. However, this strike is recorded as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s expected second-quarter revenue surge of over 1,450% year-over-year, driven by an AI boom, and a reported tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU claims workers have not received corresponding pay increases amid these record earnings.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the most advanced computer chips globally are produced. Moreover, experts note that Samsung has a history of being resistant to unions and lacks considerable experience in negotiating with its workforce.
According to Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, a successful outcome for Samsung workers could inspire similar movements across South Korea’s labor landscape.