Employees of Samsung Electronics are continuing their strike for improved working conditions and better wages, with a significant rally taking place in South Korea on Monday. This demonstration marks the third week of their ongoing action, which has drawn in around 1,200 members from the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU). The march occurred at the Giheung campus in Yongin.
The rally follows initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung, which were held on Friday. The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after previous efforts to secure better workplace conditions did not yield results.
While the union claims to represent over 30,000 workers, it remains uncertain how many are actively participating in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this current strike is noted as the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Despite Samsung projecting a staggering increase in its second-quarter revenue—over 1,450% year-over-year due to a surge in AI demand—and a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU states that employees have not witnessed corresponding increases in their wages.
Many workers involved in the strike are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which manufactures some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. The company has a reputation for being hostile to union activities and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Experts suggest that if the workers at Samsung succeed in their current efforts, it may inspire and empower labor movements across South Korea.