Employees of Samsung Electronics are striking for improved working conditions and higher wages, with a large rally taking place in South Korea on Monday as their protests enter the third week.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin. This demonstration follows initial wage negotiation talks that took place last Friday.
The NSEU initially declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after previous efforts to negotiate workplace improvements were unsuccessful. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many chose to participate in the indefinite strike. Notably, this ongoing strike is the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung projecting a more than 1,450% increase in revenue for the second quarter, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence, and reporting a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024, workers claim they have not benefited from these record earnings.
Many of the striking employees are involved in producing some of the world’s most advanced computer chips at Samsung’s foundry. Additionally, experts note that Samsung has a history of being unfriendly toward unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
A professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, Vladimir Tikhonov, remarked that if Samsung workers succeed in their efforts, it could strengthen labor movements throughout South Korea.