Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a major rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing protest against the company.
Approximately 1,200 members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) gathered and marched through the Giheung campus in Yongin, South Korea, 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.
The NSEU announced an indefinite strike on July 8 after earlier walkouts did not achieve the workplace improvements its members are demanding. While the union represents over 30,000 employees, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is now the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung anticipates a more than 1,450% increase in second-quarter revenue year-over-year, fueled by a boom in artificial intelligence. The company also reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that workers have not seen comparable pay increases despite these record profits.
Many striking employees are involved in Samsung’s foundry operations, which produce some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, according to AFP.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a history of being resistant to unions and has limited experience in negotiating with its workforce. Professor Vladimir Tikhonov, a Korean studies expert at the University of Oslo, noted that if Samsung employees succeed in their efforts, it could empower labor movements across South Korea.