Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and increased pay held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their protest against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched at the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
This demonstration follows initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
NSEU workers initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the workplace improvements its members were seeking.
While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung anticipates that its second-quarter revenue will increase by over 1,450% year-over-year due to a boom in AI, alongside reporting a tenfold rise in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that workers have not experienced corresponding increases in pay despite the record profits.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, which manufactures some of the world’s most advanced computer chips.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a history of being unsupportive of unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, stated that if Samsung workers are successful in their efforts, it would empower labor movements across South Korea.