Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, as their action against the company enters its third week.
Approximately 1,200 workers from the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching along the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday. The NSEU had declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the workplace improvements its members sought.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number currently on indefinite strike remains unclear. Nevertheless, this strike is the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung anticipates its second-quarter revenue will surge more than 1,450% year-over-year, driven by a boom in artificial intelligence. Additionally, the company reported a ten-fold increase in profits during the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that workers are not benefiting from these record financial results in terms of pay increases.
A significant number of striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which manufactures some of the most advanced computer chips globally.
Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being unwelcoming towards unions and has limited experience negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, stated that if Samsung workers succeed in their initiative, it could empower labor movements across South Korea.