On Thursday, the labor union of Samsung Electronics is set to arrange a rally for roughly 37,000 workers at its chip factory located in Pyeongtaek City. The union has also declared that a strike will occur next month. Since the first workers' strike in 2024, the membership of the Samsung union has skyrocketed to over 90,000, representing more than 70% of the total workforce in South Korea.

The chip company's record-breaking profits have significantly strengthened the workers' bargaining position. Meanwhile, SK Hynix's decision to accept union demands has heightened the discontent among Samsung employees regarding the wage disparity. Union leaders have pointed out that the surge in membership is indicative of employees' keen desire for change, with a substantial number of workers having already transitioned to rival companies.

Samsung's co-CEO has admitted that the company's wage competitiveness is lagging and has suggested that this gap will diminish as the market rebounds. At present, the precise number of rally participants is still uncertain. Samsung has cautioned the union that legal measures will be taken if any damage is inflicted upon safety facilities.

Should no agreement be reached, the union intends to initiate an 18-day strike starting from May 21. The core of the dispute lies in the union's demand to eliminate the cap on performance-based pay, a proposal that has been turned down by the management.