Samsung employees striking for improved working conditions and higher wages held a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, as their protest against the company enters its third week.
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.
The 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 prior walkout did not yield the workplace improvements sought by its members.
While the union represents over 30,000 workers, it remains unclear how many have joined the indefinite strike. Nevertheless, this current protest marks the largest in the history of the technology giant.
Samsung anticipates a staggering increase of over 1,450% in its second-quarter revenue year-over-year, fueled by a surge in artificial intelligence. The company also recorded a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that employees have not seen corresponding pay raises despite these record earnings.
Many of the striking workers are employed at Samsung’s foundry, where they manufacture some of the most advanced computer chips globally, according to AFP.
Experts have noted that Samsung has a reputation for being hostile toward unions and lacks experience in negotiating with its own workforce.
“If Samsung workers succeed in this effort, it will empower the rest of South Korea’s labor,” stated Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, in comments to AFP.