Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and increased wages gathered for a large rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their action against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of 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 rally followed initial wage negotiation talks held between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after a prior walkout did not lead to the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, it remains unclear how many are currently participating in the indefinite strike. Nevertheless, this ongoing strike is the largest in the company’s history.
Despite Samsung Electronics projecting a staggering 1,450% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue due to a boom in artificial intelligence, and reporting a tenfold profit increase in the first three months of 2024, the union asserts that workers have not seen corresponding wage increases.
Many strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they produce some of the most advanced computer chips globally, as noted by AFP.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a reputation for being resistant 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 workers succeed in their efforts, it could empower labor movements across South Korea.