Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and increased wages rallied in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing strike against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This demonstration followed initial wage negotiations held between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous work stoppage failed to achieve the workplace improvements its members sought. Although the union has more than 30,000 members, it remains unclear how many are currently participating in the indefinite strike, which is considered the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung has projected a surge of over 1,450% in its second-quarter revenue compared to the previous year, driven by an AI boom. Additionally, the company reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, NSEU contends that workers have not received corresponding pay raises despite these record profits.
Many strikers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, where they manufacture some of the world’s most sophisticated computer chips. Experts indicate that Samsung has a reputation for being resistant to unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, stated that if Samsung workers successfully achieve their goals, it could empower labor movements across South Korea.