Employees at Samsung are striking for improved working conditions and better pay, as their protest enters its third week. On Monday, around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) rallied and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation talks held between the union and Samsung on Friday. The NSEU had announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout failed to yield the desired workplace improvements.
Although the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are participating in the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this protest is noted as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung Electronics has projected a staggering 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, largely attributed to the AI boom, and reported a ten-fold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, NSEU members argue that workers are not seeing corresponding pay raises despite the company’s record earnings.
Many of those on strike are involved in Samsung’s foundry operations, which are key to producing some of the world’s most advanced computer chips. Furthermore, experts highlight that Samsung has a well-documented reputation for being resistant to union activities and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
A professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, Vladimir Tikhonov, remarked that a successful outcome for Samsung workers could have significant implications for labor movements across South Korea.