Samsung Workers Strike: A Historic Battle for Fair Wages and Rights

Employees of Samsung have rallied in South Korea for improved working conditions and higher salaries, as their strike enters its third week. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) took to the streets on Monday at the Giheung campus in Yongin, following initial wage negotiation discussions with the company.

The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout failed to achieve desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nevertheless, this strike marks the largest in Samsung’s history.

Samsung anticipates a more than 1,450% increase in revenue for the second quarter, driven by an AI surge, and reported a tenfold profit increase during the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU has expressed concerns that workers are not receiving corresponding pay raises despite the company’s record profits.

Many striking workers are involved in Samsung’s foundry operations, producing some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Experts note that Samsung is often adversarial toward unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. A professor of Korean studies remarked that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower labor movements throughout South Korea.

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