Employees of Samsung Electronics, demanding improved working conditions and higher salaries, staged a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the continuation of their strike into its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the demonstration, marching through the company’s Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
The rally followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
NSEU workers initially announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not lead to the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nevertheless, this strike has been identified as the largest in the company’s history.
Despite Samsung’s projection of a more than 1,450% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue due to the surge in artificial intelligence, and a tenfold increase in profits in the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU has stated that employees have not seen any corresponding raises in their pay.
The majority of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which produces some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, as reported by AFP.
Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for 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 succeed, it could empower labor movements across South Korea.