Employees at Samsung who are striking for improved working conditions and increased pay gathered for a large 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) participated in the rally, marching through the Giheung campus in Yongin, as reported by the Associated Press.
This demonstration followed initial wage negotiations between the union and Samsung, which took place on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU declared an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout failed to achieve the desired workplace improvements.
While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many have joined the indefinite strike. Nonetheless, this strike is noted to be the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Samsung is projected to see its second-quarter revenue soar by over 1,450% year-over-year, largely attributed to a surge in artificial intelligence, and it has reported a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that workers have not benefited from these record profits with corresponding pay raises.
Several strikers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they produce some of the most sophisticated computer chips globally, as highlighted by AFP.
Furthermore, experts indicate that Samsung has a history of being unfriendly towards unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its workforce.
“If Samsung workers succeed in this initiative, it will strengthen the labor movement throughout South Korea,” stated Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, in an interview with AFP.