Workers at Samsung are continuing their strike for improved pay and working conditions, with a large rally held in South Korea on Monday to mark the third week of their action.
Around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin. This demonstration follows initial wage negotiation talks between the union and Samsung held on Friday.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number currently on strike remains unclear. This strike is noted as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s projections of a more than 1,450% increase in revenue for the second quarter year-over-year, primarily driven by the AI sector, and a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU has highlighted that employees have not seen commensurate pay increases.
A significant portion of the striking workers is employed at Samsung’s foundry, where advanced computer chips are manufactured. Experts suggest that Samsung lacks a cooperative history with unions, thus complicating negotiations with its workforce.
Professor Vladimir Tikhonov from the University of Oslo remarked that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could bolster the broader labor movement in South Korea.