Employees of Samsung are continuing their strike for improved working conditions and higher wages, as a large rally took place in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their labor action.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered to protest and march at the Giheung campus in Yongin, according to reports. This demonstration followed the first round of wage negotiations between the union and Samsung that occurred last Friday.
The NSEU initially declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after previous efforts to negotiate workplace improvements were unsuccessful. Although the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted as the largest in the company’s history.
Samsung has projected a significant increase in its second-quarter revenue by over 1,450% year-over-year, driven in part by advancements in artificial intelligence. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. Despite these financial successes, the NSEU asserts that workers have not experienced corresponding pay increases.
Many of the striking workers are employed in Samsung’s foundry, where they produce leading-edge computer chips. Experts have also pointed out that Samsung has a history of being resistant to unions and lacks experience in worker negotiations.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, commented that if Samsung workers are successful in their strike, it could inspire and empower labor movements across South Korea.