Employees at Samsung are in the midst of a significant strike demanding improved working conditions and higher wages, with approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) rallying at the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea. This event marks the third week of their ongoing action.
The rally followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung, held on Friday. The NSEU had declared an indefinite strike on July 8, after a previous walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements.
While the NSEU represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many employees are participating in the indefinite strike. However, this protest is noted as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung Electronics projecting a staggering increase of over 1,450% in revenue for the second quarter year-on-year, attributed to a surge in artificial intelligence, and reporting a tenfold profit increase in the first quarter of 2024, union representatives argue that workers have not seen corresponding wage hikes amidst these record profits.
The striking workers are primarily situated in Samsung’s foundry, where they manufacture some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Experts indicate that Samsung has a longstanding reputation for being unfavorable towards unions and lacks substantial experience in negotiations with its workforce.
Professor Vladimir Tikhonov, an expert in Korean studies at the University of Oslo, stated that if Samsung workers achieve their goals, it could empower labor movements throughout South Korea.