Employees at Samsung Electronics are continuing their strike for improved working conditions and higher wages, with a large rally held on Monday in South Korea as their action extends into its third week. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the protest at the Giheung campus in Yongin.
The rally followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday. The NSEU first announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after earlier attempts to negotiate workplace improvements were unsuccessful.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it is unclear how many are currently on strike. This ongoing strike marks the largest labor action in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s projection of a more than 1,450% increase in revenue year-over-year in the second quarter, fueled by an AI boom, workers have not seen corresponding wage increases. The company also reported a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024, but workers argue that they have not benefited from these record earnings.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured. Experts note that Samsung has historically been resistant to unionization and lacks experience in negotiating with its workers.
A professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, Vladimir Tikhonov, stated that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could inspire labor movements across South Korea.