Samsung employees advocating for improved working conditions and higher wages organized a significant rally in South Korea on Monday, marking the third week of their ongoing strike 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 demonstration followed preliminary wage negotiations held between the union and Samsung on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
The NSEU initiated an indefinite strike on July 8 after a previous walkout did not yield the desired workplace improvements. While the union represents over 30,000 workers, the exact number participating in the indefinite strike remains unclear. Nonetheless, this strike is being recognized as the largest in Samsung’s history.
Samsung is predicting an impressive increase of more than 1,450% in its second-quarter revenue compared to the previous year, attributed to a surge in artificial intelligence. The company also announced a tenfold increase in profits for the first quarter of 2024. However, the NSEU claims that workers are not benefiting from these record profits with corresponding pay raises.
Many of the striking employees are involved in Samsung’s foundry operations, which are responsible for manufacturing some of the world’s most advanced computer chips, as noted by AFP.
Experts indicate that Samsung has a long-standing reputation for being antagonistic towards unions and has limited experience in negotiations with its workforce. Vladimir Tikhonov, a professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, stated that a successful outcome for Samsung workers could bolster the labor movement across South Korea.