Employees at Samsung have been striking for improved working conditions and higher wages, culminating in a large rally in South Korea on Monday as their protest enters its third week.
Around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered at the Giheung campus in Yongin, demonstrated against the company amidst ongoing wage negotiations that took place on Friday.
The union initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after earlier walkouts did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it’s unclear how many are actively participating in the indefinite strike. Nevertheless, this action marks the largest strike in the company’s history.
Despite Samsung Electronics anticipating a more than 1,450% rise in second-quarter revenue compared to the previous year, driven by a surge in AI technology, workers reported no increases in their pay despite the company’s record profits. Many striking employees are involved in the production of sophisticated computer chips at Samsung’s foundry.
Experts note that Samsung has a history of being resistant to union activities and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. A professor of Korean studies suggested that if the workers successfully achieve their goals, it could bolster the labor movement throughout South Korea.