Employees of Samsung have organized a large rally in South Korea to demand improved working conditions and higher wages, as their strike enters its third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) demonstrated at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press. This rally follows initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that took place last Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The union declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after an earlier walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. Although NSEU represents over 30,000 workers, the specific number participating in the indefinite strike is unclear. However, it is noted to be the largest strike in the company’s history.
Samsung anticipates that its revenue for the second quarter will increase by more than 1,450% year-over-year, driven by a boom in artificial intelligence. The company has also reported a tenfold increase in profits during the first quarter of 2024. Despite these record earnings, the NSEU highlights that workers have not seen corresponding increases in their pay.
Many of those on strike are employed in Samsung’s foundries, which produce some of the most advanced computer chips globally. Observers note that Samsung has a history of being adversarial towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Experts believe that if Samsung workers are successful in their strike, it could bolster the labor movement across South Korea, as noted by Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo.