Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages demonstrated in a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing strike.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
This rally followed the initial wage negotiation discussions between the union and Samsung that took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike starting July 8 after an earlier walkout did not achieve the desired workplace improvements. While the union claims to represent over 30,000 workers, the exact number of those on indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is noted to be the largest in Samsung’s history.
Despite Samsung projecting a staggering 1,450% year-over-year rise in revenue for the second quarter due to an AI surge and a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024, the NSEU has highlighted that workers have not seen corresponding pay increases amidst these record profits.
Those participating in the strike include employees from Samsung’s foundry, which produces some of the most advanced computer chips globally.
Experts indicate that Samsung has historically been unwelcoming to unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, remarked that if Samsung employees succeed in their efforts, it could empower labor movements across South Korea.