Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages participated in a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing action against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) demonstrated and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This rally followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place last Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many are participating in the indefinite strike. Nevertheless, this action stands as the largest strike in the company’s history.
Despite Samsung projecting a significant increase in its second-quarter revenue—up more than 1,450% year-over-year due to a surge in artificial intelligence—and reporting a tenfold profit increase for the first quarter of 2024, NSEU claims that workers have not seen similar growth in their wages.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they produce some of the most advanced computer chips globally, as noted by AFP.
Experts characterize Samsung as being particularly unsupportive of unions and lacking experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, remarked that if the workers succeed in their efforts, it could bolster labor movements throughout South Korea.