Samsung employees continued their strike for better working conditions and higher pay, holding a large rally in South Korea on Monday as their protest extended into its third week.
Around 1,200 workers from the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea, as reported by the Associated Press.
This followed initial wage negotiation talks between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU workers began an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout failed to achieve their demands for workplace improvements.
Although the union represents over 30,000 employees, it is unclear how many are on indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this strike is the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung expects its second-quarter revenue to increase by more than 1,450% year-over-year due to a surge in AI-related business. The company also reported a significant rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024. Despite these record returns, NSEU claims that workers have not seen corresponding increases in pay.
Many of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where some of the world’s most advanced computer chips are produced, according to AFP.
Experts note that Samsung is known for being hostile to unions and has limited experience in negotiating with its own workforce.
“If Samsung workers succeed in this undertaking, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor,” Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, told AFP.