Employees of Samsung Electronics are continuing their strike for improved working conditions and higher salaries, with a significant rally taking place in South Korea on Monday, marking three weeks of protest action.
Around 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, which involved a march through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This event followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not yield the workplace improvements they sought. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many are currently on indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this strike is noted as the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Samsung anticipates a more than 1,450% increase in revenue in the second quarter compared to the previous year, credited largely to a surge in artificial intelligence. The company reported a tenfold rise in profits during the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that while the company enjoys record profits, workers have not seen corresponding increases in wages.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are manufactured, as reported by AFP.
Experts point out that Samsung has a reputation for being resistant to unionization and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, noted that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower the broader labor movement in South Korea.