Approximately 1,200 employees from the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in a significant rally at the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea, as their strike for improved working conditions and higher wages entered its third week. The protest followed initial wage negotiation discussions held between the union and Samsung last Friday.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a prior walkout did not achieve the gains its members sought. Although the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number currently on strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike marks the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Samsung anticipates a more than 1,450% increase in its second-quarter revenue year-over-year, driven largely by a boom in artificial intelligence, and has reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that employees have not experienced commensurate pay increases despite these record profits.
Many striking employees are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which is known for producing some of the most advanced computer chips globally. Experts note that Samsung has a reputation for being adversarial towards unions and lacks extensive experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Korean studies professor Vladimir Tikhonov from the University of Oslo remarked that if Samsung workers are successful in their efforts, it could empower labor movements across South Korea.