Samsung employees demanding improved working conditions and increased wages gathered for a large 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) participated in the rally, which took place at the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea, as reported by various media outlets. This demonstration followed the initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that occurred on Friday.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not result in the desired outcomes for its members. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the specific number of participants in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nevertheless, this ongoing strike represents the largest labor action in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s expectations of a revenue increase exceeding 1,450% year-over-year due to a boom in artificial intelligence and a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU has highlighted that employees have not experienced corresponding wage increases amid these record profits. Many of the striking workers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured.
Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being notably resistant to unions and lacks significant experience in negotiating with its workforce. “If Samsung workers succeed in this endeavor, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor,” stated Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.