Employees of Samsung are currently striking for improved working conditions and higher wages, holding a significant rally in South Korea on Monday as their protest enters its third week. Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the demonstration at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
The rally followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg. On July 8, the NSEU declared an indefinite strike after a prior walkout did not yield the workplace improvements its members are advocating for.
While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many are actively participating in the indefinite strike. This current strike has become the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung’s expectation of a 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven by the boom in artificial intelligence, and a tenfold profit surge in the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen corresponding increases in their wages amidst the company’s record profits.
A significant portion of the strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, known for producing advanced semiconductor chips. Experts note that Samsung has a history of being dismissive toward unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, remarked that if Samsung employees succeed in their strike, it could empower labor movements across South Korea.