Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages held a large rally in South Korea on Monday, entering the third week of their ongoing strike.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after prior walkouts failed to achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. However, this strike is recognized as the largest in the technology giant’s history.
Despite Samsung’s anticipation of a revenue surge exceeding 1,450% year-over-year in the second quarter, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, the NSEU asserts that employees are not experiencing corresponding wage increases. Additionally, the company reported a tenfold increase in profits during the first quarter of 2024, further highlighting the disparity as workers remain dissatisfied.
Many of the employees involved in the strike are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which produces some of the world’s most sophisticated computer chips. The company has a reputation for being unfriendly towards unions and lacks substantial experience in negotiating with its workforce, according to experts.
“If Samsung workers succeed in this initiative, it will empower labor movements across South Korea,” stated Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.